In a recent incident, a Russian satellite in low Earth orbit disintegrated on June 26, resulting in the formation of more than 100 trackable pieces of debris. This event briefly alarmed the crew on board the International Space Station (ISS), who took shelter as a precautionary measure.

The Resurs P1 satellite experienced an unknown event at approximately 12 p.m. Eastern on June 26, according to the U.S Space Command (USSPACECOM). The cause of the breakup remains unclear. USSPACECOM assured that there were no immediate threats and that routine conjunction assessments were being conducted to maintain the safety and sustainability of space activities.

LeoLabs, a company that monitors low Earth orbit through radar, reported the incident on social media. They estimated that the breakup occurred between 9:05 a.m. and 8:51 p.m. Eastern on June 26. The company is currently tracking at least 180 objects resulting from the event, with the possibility of discovering more. However, it is too early to determine the exact cause of the satellite's disintegration.

During the event, the ISS crew, as instructed by NASA, sought refuge in their respective spacecraft as a standard precautionary measure. NASA announced that the crew received the all-clear signal approximately an hour later.

The Resurs P1 satellite, a non-operational Russian Earth observation satellite weighing around 6,000 kilograms, was launched in 2013 into a sun-synchronous orbit. It was decommissioned in late 2021, and its orbit had been steadily decaying. At the time of the incident, the satellite's altitude had decreased to approximately 355 kilometers, and it was anticipated to reenter the Earth's atmosphere before the end of the year.

The cause of the satellite's breakup remains uncertain. One possibility is that the spacecraft itself disintegrated due to improper passivation at the end of its mission. Passivation involves removing energy sources such as draining batteries and venting tanks, which have been associated with previous satellite breakups. Alternatively, it is also plausible that the satellite was struck by an untracked piece of debris. There is speculation that it may have been a target of a Russian anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon test, similar to the one conducted in November 2021. However, there have been no official statements from the Defense Department or the Russian Ministry of Defense regarding such a test, and there were no associated airspace restrictions in place during the time of the satellite breakup.

As the investigation continues, attention will be focused on determining the exact cause of the Resurs P1 satellite's breakdown in order to prevent similar incidents and ensure the safety of space operations.