Russia has been accused of reckless behaviour after conducting an anti-satellite weapons test which sent thousands of pieces of debris into space and threatened the International Space Station.
Astronauts aboard the station were nearly forced to evacuate and were in real danger if the debris had made contact with the craft, according to ASPI Senior Analyst Dr Malcolm Davis.
“Had any of that space debris hit the space station, it could have physically damaged the space station to a severe degree that would have necessitated the evacuation of the space station,” he told Sky News Australia.
“The Russians have done something that I think the entire international community is outraged about, even the Russian space agency wasn’t even aware of what the Russian military was going to do.”
Dr Davis said this was a “very serious development by Russia” and was an affront to international unity and stopping an arms race in space.
“It does seriously raise questions about Russia’s intentions as to developing these sorts of capabilities,” he said.
