US, UK condemn Russian anti-satellite missile test
The Russian ASAT test has raised concerns about the safety of orbital assets. (Photo: NASA)
US Space Command (USSPACECOM) has stated that Russia conducted a test of a direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile against its own Cosmos 1408 satellite.
Military and civil authorities from the UK and US have come down harshly against Russia following the ASAT missile test that created 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris.
USSPACECOM said that its initial assessment showed the debris would remain in orbit ‘for years and potentially for decades’, posing a risk to the International Space Station (ISS), other crewed spaceflights and ‘multiple countries’ satellites’.
On 16 November, in a statement carried by the Interfax news agency, the Russian MoD confirmed it had conducted the ASAT missile test, claiming the fragments created did not pose a threat ‘to orbital stations, spacecraft and
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors]()
US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors
The Pentagon’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes an impressive increase in the procurement of interceptors, with the number of the US Army’s PAC-3 MSE rounds expanding by 683%, the US Navy’s Standard Missile by 365% and the MDA’s SM-3 IIA by more than 1,000%.
-
![US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production]()
US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production
Global Military Products was selected by the US Army to operate the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility and ramp up the production of various calibre shell cases.
-
![Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace]()
Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace
Future operational superiority will be defined by the ability to connect systems, data and personnel into a wider network. For armed forces, this creates the need for a digital backbone that integrates and enhances sensors and effectors of all kinds.
-
![Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat]()
Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat
Estonian-made equipment is being put through the toughest of evaluations in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers resisting the full-scale Russian invasion which began in 2022. The country has long seen the threat and is continuing to adapt for the future.
-
![Estonia boosting defence industry with lessons from Ukraine, says country’s economic minister]()
Estonia boosting defence industry with lessons from Ukraine, says country’s economic minister
Estonia is looking to boost its local defence industry with directed funding, industry parks, support through international orders for equipment and rapid prototyping.
-
![UK faces cost of balancing defensive capabilities abroad as Iran conflict widens]()
UK faces cost of balancing defensive capabilities abroad as Iran conflict widens
The UK has recently deployed a Type 45 destroyer to Cyprus and has bolstered its presence in the Middle East in recent weeks with supporting air power to protect neighbouring countries’ air defences.
