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'Farrah Fawcett' Spy Satellite Blows Up
Newser • • science
Key Points:
- The US Space Force confirmed that the Cold War-era spy satellite USA-32, also known as Farrah III, unexpectedly broke apart in orbit on September 13, scattering debris about 480 miles above Earth.
- The satellite, launched in 1988 to intercept Soviet signals, had been inactive for years but was still tracked as of 2021; the breakup is classified as a "fragmentation event" with an unknown cause.
- Potential causes for the breakup include leftover fuel explosion, battery failure, meteor strike, or collision with space debris, though no signs of an attack were found.
- The incident adds to the growing problem of space debris in low Earth orbit, where approximately 200 active satellites operate near Farrah III's altitude.
- Space Force reports no immediate risk to other spacecraft from the debris, but the number of fragments created remains unclear.
