Pentagon says debris from India's ASAT expected to burn up in atmosphere

The Pentagon said on Thursday that it stood by its assessment that debris from an Indian anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons test would eventually burn up in the atmosphere, even after NASA’s administrator warned of the danger the debris posed.

India used an indigenously developed ballistic missile interceptor to destroy one of its own satellites at a height of 300 km (186 miles), in a test aimed at boosting its defences in space.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said on Monday that more than 400 pieces of orbital debris from the test had been identified, including debris that was travelling above the International Space Station