WASHINGTON – A Russian satellite disintegrated into over 100 pieces of debris overnight, compelling astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to seek refuge, US space agencies reported.
The incident involved the RESURS-P1 Russian Earth observation satellite, decommissioned in 2022, which shattered near the ISS orbit. This led US astronauts to shelter in their spacecraft for about an hour, according to NASA’s Space Station office.
US radars, along with space-tracking firm LeoLabs, detected a cloud of debris in low-Earth orbit late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. The US Space Command confirmed that the satellite produced “over 100 pieces of trackable debris.”
Despite the event, US Space Command noted there are no immediate threats and they continue to conduct routine assessments to ensure space safety.