US Frantic over Russian Missile Test
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Russia conducts a missile test on its own satellite, which sparked US panic.
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Are the Russian-US 'good space relations' about to be challenged?
On Monday, the United States called out Russia for conducting a "dangerous and irresponsible" missile test that blew up its own satellite, forming a debris cloud that needed immediate attention and action from the International Space Station.
"Earlier today, the Russian Federation recklessly conducted a destructive satellite test of a direct ascent anti-satellite missile against one of its own satellites," US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said at a briefing. "The test has so far generated over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris and hundreds of thousands of pieces of smaller orbital debris that now threaten the interests of all nations."
Four Americans, a German, and two Russians, who were on board the orbital outpost, took refuge in their returnships as part of an emergency procedure.
Price was in a panic, "This test will significantly increase the risk to astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station, as well as to other human spaceflight activities," he said, continuing, "Russia's dangerous and irresponsible behavior jeopardizes the long term sustainability of outer space and clearly demonstrates that Russia's claims of opposing the weaponization of space are disingenuous and hypocritical."
However, the Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos, had a different reaction in opposition to the panic the United States expressed towards the incident. "The orbit of the object, which forced the crew today to move into spacecraft according to standard procedures, has moved away from the ISS orbit. The station is in the green zone," the Agency tweeted.
The @Space_Station crew is routinely performing operations according to the flight program.
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) November 15, 2021
The orbit of the object, which forced the crew today to move into spacecraft according to standard procedures, has moved away from the ISS orbit.
The station is in the green zone. pic.twitter.com/MVHVACSpmT
"The United States will work with our allies and partners to respond to Russia's irresponsible act," Ned Price said.
Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby stressed that Russia did not give Washington a warning before launching the missile, saying, "We watch closely the kinds of capabilities that Russia has seemed to want to develop, which could pose a threat not just to our national security interests, but the security incentives of other spacefaring nations."
