A secret Russian satellite has broken apart in orbit, creating a cloud of debris that could last a century

Wed, 02/08/2023 - 16:54

illustration shows satellite shedding bits of metal debris high above earth — An illustration of a satellite breaking up above Earth.
ESA/ID&Sense/ONiRiXEL, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

A secretive Russian satellite broke apart in Earth's orbit, the US Space Force said on Monday.
Kosmos 2499 launched secretly and made "suspicious" maneuvers to complete a mysterious mission.
The satellite's possible explosion-induced debris field could last a century, according to NASA.

A mysterious Russian satellite with a shady mission has broken apart in Earth's orbit, creating a hazardous cloud of debris zipping around the planet and menacing other satellites, US Space Force announced.