<p>In 2007, Beijing successfully tested an anti-satellite (ASAT) vehicle, destroying an inactive weather satellite.Asked if China's ASAT programme is a threat to Indian satellites, Secretary in the Department of Space, K Radhakrishnan said: "... the threat is not only for us, but for the entire world because it (China's 2007 test) has created space debris".<br /><br />Noting that the Chinese test has resulted in 3000 particles (space debris), Radhakrishnan, also Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Space Commission, said: "So we have to be careful about their (space debris from the Chinese test) possible collision with our operational satellites".<br /><br />He said a group of ISRO scientists is coordinating with the international group on space debris, which observes and conducts analysis and continuously looks at managing Indian satellites -- in terms of manoeuvres and navigation -- for avoiding such possible collisions.<br /><br />"Internationally, under the UN body, countries are encouraged not to undertake such activities (killing satellites in space and creating space debris", Radhakrishnan said. <br />Radhakrishnan said space debris are also created when satellites are integrated on their own. "Such objects (debris) will be there in orbit".<br /><br />One can only try to avoid debris hitting satellites, he said, adding there is a talk of "scavenging" of debris from orbit. But this concept needs to evolve and "one has to see how one is going to do that," he added. <br /></p>
<p>In 2007, Beijing successfully tested an anti-satellite (ASAT) vehicle, destroying an inactive weather satellite.Asked if China's ASAT programme is a threat to Indian satellites, Secretary in the Department of Space, K Radhakrishnan said: "... the threat is not only for us, but for the entire world because it (China's 2007 test) has created space debris".<br /><br />Noting that the Chinese test has resulted in 3000 particles (space debris), Radhakrishnan, also Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Space Commission, said: "So we have to be careful about their (space debris from the Chinese test) possible collision with our operational satellites".<br /><br />He said a group of ISRO scientists is coordinating with the international group on space debris, which observes and conducts analysis and continuously looks at managing Indian satellites -- in terms of manoeuvres and navigation -- for avoiding such possible collisions.<br /><br />"Internationally, under the UN body, countries are encouraged not to undertake such activities (killing satellites in space and creating space debris", Radhakrishnan said. <br />Radhakrishnan said space debris are also created when satellites are integrated on their own. "Such objects (debris) will be there in orbit".<br /><br />One can only try to avoid debris hitting satellites, he said, adding there is a talk of "scavenging" of debris from orbit. But this concept needs to evolve and "one has to see how one is going to do that," he added. <br /></p>