India refuses to comment on NASA's assessment of recent A-SAT missile test

The Indian government has refused to comment on NASA's assessment of India's A-SAT missile test. The US space agency said that the anti-satellite test created 400 pieces of debris in the lower orbit and has put the International Space Station (ISS) at risk. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence declined to comment.

On March 27, India became only the fourth country to successfully conduct an anti-satellite missile test, making the country a space power. Only the US, Russia, and China have achieved this feat previously, but none have used it for actual military purposes.

NASA chief administrator, Jim Bridenstine said that India's A-SAT missile test to destroy its own satellites is a "terrible thing." The event has led to 400 pieces of orbital debris and might be dangerous for astronauts aboard on the International Space Station (ISS).

"That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris and an apogee that goes above the international space station. That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight that we need to see have happened," Bridenstine said.

"What we are tracking right now, objects big enough to track - we're talking about 10 centimetres (six inches) or bigger - about 60 pieces have been tracked," he added.

The US military constantly tracks space objects to prevent the ISS from a potential collision. They are currently tracking around 23,000 objects which are bigger than 10 centimetres. These objects include nearly 10,000 pieces of space debris, of which 3,000 are the result of the Chinese anti-satellite test in 2007 at 530 miles above Earth's surface.

After "Mission Shakti," India's A-SAT missile test, the risk of collision with the ISS has increased by 44 per cent within 10 days. However, the debris will decrease by burning up as it enters the atmosphere.