Conducted Mission Shakti responsibly, space debris no longer a danger: DRDO

DRDO launched the target satellite in January 2019, with an orbit of under 300 kilometres

Days after NASA sharply criticised Mission Shakti, the anti-satellite (A-SAT) test conducted by the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) on March 27, the government soothed concerns that debris from the test would pose an on-going danger to spacefarers.

In a media interaction in New Delhi on Saturday, DRDO chief, G Satheesh Reddy, pointed out that the slightly elevated danger levels from the debris were valid only for ten days, which would be over on Sunday.

Reddy also emphasized that India had planned and conducted the test responsibly.

“The ASAT interceptor had the capability to intercept satellites higher than 1,000 kilometres (km),