Space Alarm: Scientists Fear Collision as Two Satellites Approach

Two satellites, one from the United States and the other from Russia, are on a collision course in space. These satellites, monitored by NASA and Russian space agencies, are NASA’s TIMED mission spacecraft and Russia’s Cosmos 2221. They are expected to come dangerously close to Earth on Wednesday, orbiting at an altitude of around 600 kilometres.

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According to the latest estimate, it appears that the two satellites may narrowly avoid colliding with each other at the last moment. However, they are expected to pass very close to each other, causing concern among scientists from both countries. A collision at this height in space could result in a significant buildup of debris, posing a serious threat to other satellites in the same orbit. In addition to NASA, the US Department of Defense is closely monitoring the situation.

The US space agency warned that even though the spacecraft is likely to avoid a direct collision, the impact could still generate a lot of space debris. NASA initiated its TIMED mission to further explore Earth’s upper atmosphere. This mission helps America understand how solar and human activities affect the mesosphere and lower thermosphere/ionosphere.