ISLAMABAD – A Russian rocket used to launch a scientific satellite intospace has broken apart after nine years in orbit – leaving a dozens ofpieces of debris around the Earth.
The Fregat-SB is a type of space tug and its upper stage was left floatingafter it helped deliver the Spektr-R satellite in 2011, according toRoscosmos.
Spektr-R was a radio telescope launched by the Russian space agency but itstopped responding to ground control last year and was declared dead in May2019.
Roscosmos confirmed the breakdown of the rocket happened on May 8 between06:00 and 07:00 BST somewhere above the Indian ocean.
The Russian space agency is studying data to find out how many parts itbroke up into and where they are currently orbiting the planet.
The US18 Space Control Squadron that tracks all objects in Earth’s orbitsay there are at least 65 pieces from the rocket in orbit.
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US18 wrote on Twitter: ‘Confirmed that the breakup of FREGAT DEB occurredon May 8, 2020, between 0402 and 0551 UTC. Tracking 65 associated pieces –no indication caused by collision.’
NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and others are all putting money intofinding new technologies to clear up space debris.
ESA will spend nearly £350 million on safety programmes including clearingup space over the next five years.
