Moscow, Feb 12 - US and Russian communications satellites have collided in space in what is thought to be the biggest incident of its kind to date.The US commercial Iridium spacecraft hit a defunct Russian satellite at an altitude of about 800km (500 miles) over Siberia on Tuesday.
The risk to the International Space Station and a shuttle launch planned for later this month is said to be low.
The impact produced a cloud of debris, which will be tracked into the future.
Since the former Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, it is estimated about 6,000 satellites have been put in orbit.
Satellite operators are all too aware that the chances of a collision are increasing.
Russia's space agency confirmed the collision with the defunct 950kg satellite.
"A collision occurred between an Iridium 33 satellite and a Russian Kosmos 2251 military satellite," Major General Alexander Yakushin said.
Source : IRNA
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