--- title: "NASA Was “Really Scared” When a Russian Satellite Almost Obliterated Its Orbiter" description: "In late February, a Russian satellite nearly hit an American one — and now, NASA's admitting how terrifying it was." date: "2024-04-11" modified: "2024-04-11" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-scared-russian-satellite" categories: - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "NASA" - "Russia" - "satellites" - "the digest" --- # NASA Was “Really Scared” When a Russian Satellite Almost Obliterated Its Orbiter ![In late February, a Russian satellite nearly hit an American one — and now, NASA's admitting how terrifying it was.]() *\Image: Johns Hopkins APL / Steve Gribben via NASA\* ## Close Call In late February, a [Russian satellite nearly hit an American one]() — and now, NASA's admitting how terrifying it was. As NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy said during a conference, as [transcribed by *The Independent*](), the agency was "really scared" by the near-miss involving the agency's Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics Mission (TIMED) satellite and Russia's Cosmos 2221 orbiter. "It was very shocking personally and for all of us at NASA," Melroy, a former astronaut, said during the Space Foundation’s Space Symposium this week. While the close call was [somewhat expected](), the agency has since learned that the satellites were less than 10 meters apart during the incident, which is far too close for comfort. "Had the two satellites collided we would have seen debris generation, tiny shards traveling at 10,000 miles per hour," Melroy continued, "waiting to puncture a hole in another spacecraft and potentially putting human lives at risk." Notably, the incident took place in the weeks following warnings about an [alleged Russian space nuke]() that could, as Germany's military believed, essentially [destroy orbit for]() *any* country's satellites. While Russian President Vladimir Putin [denied the existence]() of such a weapon and a Kremlin official called the reporting a "[malicious fabrication]()" meant to aid the United States' support of Ukraine, tensions were invariably high when the near-miss occurred. "We’re all worried about this," Melroy said. "TIMED really scared us." ## Trash Future As the *Independent* notes, NASA launched a new satellite-mapping effort this week to help track everything that's currently orbiting our planet. Named the [Space Sustainability Strategy](), the endeavor is being undertaken partially to try to avoid such anxiety-inducing incidents. The stakes are real. In 1978, famed scientist Donald Kessler predicted that as more and more satellites are launched, the more dangerous these sorts of collisions could become. If a satellite pile-up were to occur, it could set off a chain reaction that resulted in debris shards that not only would make communications and military satellites obsolete, but could come raining down upon the Earth below, too. "This problem is monumental," Melroy said. "We can’t even agree on how many pieces of debris are in orbit because we have so many models out there." That February close call clearly demonstrated how important the newly-launched effort will be — and hopefully, it'll help us clean up our planet's orbit, too. **More on satellites:** [*Paper Claims Dying SpaceX Satellites Could Weaken Earth's Magnetic Field*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()