Russian, U.S. satellites collide in space

Story Highlights
Collision of two communications satellites believed to be the first of its kind

NASA spokesman quoted as saying crash produced massive debris cloud

Wreckage from collision expected to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere

By Yuri Pushkin CNN
   
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Two satellites, one Russian and one American, have collided some 800 kilometers (500 miles) above Siberia, the Russian federal space agency, Roscosmos, said Thursday.

Debris from the collision poses no threat to the International Space Station.

The collision produced two large debris clouds, which are not believed to pose a threat to the International Space Station as long as the clouds continue moving in a lower orbit, Roscosmos said.

There is a chance the debris could hit other satellites at the same altitude, however, the space agency said.

"We have not received a warning of the possible danger to the ISS. The fragments may descend to the ISS orbit in several years, although I do not rule out that some fragments may go down within several days," Mikhail Martirosov, from the Russian mission control center, told the Russian news agency Interfax Thursday.

"The real threat will become obvious next week when we have enough information for calculating the trajectory of the fragments' descent," Martirosov said.

"It will be weeks at least before the true magnitude of these clouds are known," RIA-Novosti quoted NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries as saying, adding analysts expect the wreckage from the collision to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.

The collision, which happened Tuesday, is believed to be the first between undamaged spacecrafts in orbit, Roscosmos said.

The Russian satellite was launched in 1993 and is considered inoperative, news agency Itar-Tass and the Russia Today TV station reported.

The U.S. satellite is part of the Iridium global mobile communications system and is owned by a consortium headed by Motorola, Russian media reported. It was launched in 1997.