New Delhi: Astronauts on the International Space Station had to protect themselves because a broken old Russian satellite split into over 100 pieces of debris. This fragmentation has made the issue of space debris, which is becoming worse, much worse. NASA said that the pieces of the Russian satellite that broke apart came near the ISS. Because of this, the astronauts on the ISS took extra care to stay safe.RESURS-P1 SatelliteThe astronauts were told to stay safe where they were. A spokesperson from NASA said, The crew did what they were supposed to and went to the safe spots assigned to them.The RESURS-P1 satellite, which Russia declared no longer working in 2022, broke apart around 10 AM Mountain Time (1600 GMT) on Wednesday. The problem happened in space close to the ISS, so American astronauts stayed inside their spacecraft for about an hour. This incident has started talks again about how countries need to rule together and work together to control space junk.What happened to the old Russian satelliteThe old Russian satellite RESURS-P1 broke into more than 100 pieces of debris in space around Earth. US Space Command confirmed that more than 100 pieces of debris that can be tracked appeared right after the breakup.How did this impact the astronauts on the ISSThe debris from the breakup came near the ISS, so precautionary steps were needed. NASAs Space Station office said the astronauts were told to stay in their safe spots. They stayed inside their spacecraft for about an hour before going back to their usual tasks.What danger does this debris poseThe debris left by the broken satellite will stay in space for many years. This raises the chance of crashes with working satellites and space stations. A top scientist in space studies said, Its like the Wild West up there. He added that more debris makes bad crashes more likely, causing a serious problem in space.How are space agencies reacting to this eventNASA and other space agencies are using radar in space to watch the debris. US Space Command and companies like LeoLabs have found several pieces of debris. There are talks happening about making rules worldwide to control space traffic and lower the dangers from space junk.What made the satellite break apartThere are not any clear reasons mentioned yet for why the RESURS-P1 satellite broke apart. Experts think it might be because something on the satellite went wrong, like leftover fuel causing an explosion. Jonathan McDowell, who tracks space and works at Harvard, said, I cant believe theyd use such a big satellite to hit another one. But, with the Russians now, you never know.What does this incident mean for future space operationsThis event highlights the ongoing difficulties that space agencies around the world face in keeping operations safe in a busier space around Earth. The chance of satellites crashing into each other and concerns about space conflicts have made people who support space and law ask more urgently for a worldwide way to control space traffic.
