Pentagon backs India on Mission Shakti, says ASAT debris expected to burn up in atmosphere

Date:

Days after space agency NASA termed India’s recent destruction of one of its satellites under Mission Shakti a ‘terrible thing’, the Pentagon said on Thursday that it stood by its assessment that debris from an Indian anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons test would eventually burn up in the atmosphere.

The statement from the US Department of Defense, supporting India’s claim that the debris will destroy within six months, has come after the NASA’s administrator, Jim Bridenstine, warned of the danger the debris posed.

The NASA Administrator on Monday termed India’s recent destruction of one of its satellites under Mission Shakti a ‘terrible thing’ and claimed that it had created 400 pieces of orbital debris and has put astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in jeopardy.

ALSO READ: Mission Shakti a ‘terrible’ thing: NASA

Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on March 28 played down the threat the debris might pose to satellites in space and said it was his understanding the debris would eventually burn up in the atmosphere. Bridenstine’s assessment contrasted sharply with the one offered by Shanahan.

When spokesman Charlie Summers was asked on Thursday whether the Pentagon stood by Shanahan’s earlier assessment, he  said, “Yes.”

The White House struck a cautious tone on Thursday, saying it was aware of Indian government statements about its efforts to mitigate debris hazards.

“We will continue to closely monitor the remaining debris from India’s ASAT test to ensure the safety of assets on-orbit and human spaceflight activities such as the International Space Station,” said Garrett Marquis, a National Security Council spokesman.

India test-fired an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile on March 27 under Mission Shakti. The targeted satellite was destroyed at a relatively low altitude of 300 kilometres, well below the ISS and most satellites in orbit.

Click here for Latest News updates and viral videos on our AI-powered smart news

.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

Rajinikanth’s Thalaivar 171 First-Look Poster Drops

In a series of surprising announcements, fans were first...

Orry Faces Backlash After Declining Handshake At Event

Internet sensation Orry, famed for his wild antics and...

From Deepfake Concerns To India’s AI Mission PM Modi Interacts With Bill Gates

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a...

NewsMobile Morning Brief

Actor Govinda Joins Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena Ahead Of...