US Intelligence Officers Reveal Shock Over India's 2019 Anti-Satellite Test

US Intelligence Officers Reveal Shock Over India's 2019 Anti-Satellite Test\n\nIn a shocking revelation, retired US Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch has shared the reaction of the United States to India's 2019 anti-satellite (ASAT) test. The unexpected destruction of an Indian satellite caused US intelligence officers to investigate the resulting debris field, sparking concerns about the risk to US spacecraft.\n\nAccording to Grusch, he was on duty within the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Operations Center when India executed what would become known as Mission Shakti on March 27, 2019. The US government became aware of India's action but was surprised when it became clear that India had chosen to intercept its own satellite.\n\nGrusch revealed that NRO became worried about the debris because American reconnaissance satellites are operating in space. He recalled that he contacted officials while the orbital analysts worked to calculate the debris field and assess the risk for US spacecraft that had to perform any manoeuvres.\n\nIndia announced Mission Shakti after successfully intercepting Microsat-R, an Indian satellite, using a ground-launched interceptor that had been developed by DRDO. The government stated that it demonstrated an indigenous capability to intercept a satellite in low-Earth orbit.\n\nThe low altitude was essential to India's argument for the test. The Ministry of External Affairs said that the interception was executed in the lower atmosphere to reduce the duration of the debris in orbit, with the fragments expected to decay and fall back to Earth within weeks.\n\nHowever, Ministry of External Affairs US military sensors tracked hundreds of fragments of debris following the interception. Contemporary reports said that the US military was tracking at least 270 pieces and ready to warn satellite operators in the event of a potential collision.\n\nDRDO chief G. Satheesh Reddy said in May 2019 that most of the debris had already decayed, and the remaining fragments were expected to dissipate within a short period.\n\nNASA, on the other hand, reported that some fragments had reached higher apogees and temporarily increased the risk for spacecraft, including the International Space Station. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said that the risk to the ISS from small debris impacts had increased throughout the period immediately following the test.\n\nMission Shakti has made India the fourth country, following the United States, Russia, and China, to publicly demonstrate a kinetic ASAT. The test also demonstrated India's ability to use a ballistic missile defence-derived interceptor against a satellite in orbit.\n\nIn conclusion, the US intelligence response to India's 2019 ASAT test highlights the complexities of space security and the need for international cooperation to mitigate the risks associated with space debris.