Space debris warning after India destroys satellite

10:39 | 28.03.2019

Space debris warning after India destroys satellite

The acting US defence secretary has warned that the testing of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons can create a "mess" in space after India destroyed one of its own satellites on Wednesday, BBC reports.

Patrick Shanahan said the US was still studying the Indian test, which Delhi insisted it carried out in low-earth orbit to not leave space debris.

India is the fourth country to have carried out an ASAT test.

China provoked international alarm with a similar test in 2007.

"My message would be: we all live in space, let's not make it a mess. Space should be a place where we can conduct business. Space is a place where people should have the freedom to operate," Mr Shanahan told reporters after India's test.

Debris from such tests can harm civilian and military satellite operations. But India said that it had intentionally carried out its 'Mission Shakti' test in the lower atmosphere - at an altitude of 300km - to ensure that there was no debris and that whatever was left would "decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks".

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