According to sources US State Department Spokesperson, Robert Palladino, on Wednesday, 3 April, responded to NASA Administrator's remarks on India's Anti-satellite (A-SAT) mission Mission Shakti saying that India and US enjoy a strong strategic relationship and will continue to pursue shared interests in space. Meanwhile the response comes a day after the chairman of the premier space organization in the United States called Mission Shakti a 'terrible thing' that has created 400 pieces of space debris, leading to new dangers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Reportedly NASA Chief Jim Bridenstine had made the remarks while addressing his employees, five days after India's successful test of its A-SAT capabilities. As per report Palladino said that India and United States will continue to pursue shared interest in the field of space, and extend scientific and technical cooperation, including safety and security in space.
Apparently Bridenstine said that objects that are big enough to track, are being tracked by NASA. However, 24 pieces of the destroyed satellite are going above the apogee (point in orbit where a satellite is farthest from earth) of the ISS. He said “That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris at an apogee that goes above the International Space Station”.
