Lost Russian satellite a threat in space?
August 27th, 2011 - 5:08 am ICT by IANSMoscow, Aug 27 (IANS) A Russian satellite that was lost in space may pose a threat to other space vehicles or satellites, an official said.
Heavy satellite Express-AM4 was lost Aug 18, Xinhua reported quoting a source from the Russian space industry.
The source told the Interfax news agency that the Express-AM4 “will stay on its orbit for years or even for decades”.
It may even collide with other telecommunication satellites from Glonass and GPS groups as well as with the Globalstar and Iridium satellites, the source said.
However, the lost satellite posed no danger to the International Space Station (ISS) because it was on a higher orbit.
Russia’s space monitoring system, a subdivision of the Russian Space Forces, is working with the US United Space Operations Centre to locate the Express-AM4’s position before further launches of new space vehicles.
Russian Space Forces has little hope of regaining control of the Express-AM4 because its batteries were discharged soon after it separated from its booster.
- Russia plans three space launches in August - Jul 30, 2011
- Russia launches navigation satellite - Oct 03, 2011
- Roscosmos to make third attempt to launch Soyuz spacecraft - Jul 13, 2011
- Russia may spend $12 bn on satellite navigation system - Feb 08, 2012
- Russia completes deployment of navigation satellites - Oct 08, 2011
- Russia to launch three Glonass satellites Friday - Nov 04, 2011
- Russia launches navigation satellites - Sep 02, 2010
- Russia launches navigation satellite - Feb 26, 2011
- Russian satellites crash into Pacific Ocean - Dec 06, 2010
- Two Russian space officials sacked over satellite loss - Dec 29, 2010
- Russia launches European telecom satellite - Dec 27, 2010
- Russia confirms new crew members for ISS - Apr 26, 2012
- India main market for Russian satellite navigation - Dec 13, 2011
- Russia puts six US satellites into orbit - Oct 20, 2010
- Unidentified space debris narrowly misses ISS - Jun 28, 2011
Tags: globalstar, glonass, interfax news agency, international space station, iridium satellites, little hope, lost in space, monitoring system, orbit, regaining control, russian satellite, russian space forces, russian space industry, satellite express, space monitoring, space operations centre, space station iss, space vehicles, telecommunication satellites, xinhua