In some news...
As impossible as it could be, the reality has once again proved, that if something could happen, it will. On Feb. 10 two satellites collided at altitude of approximately 800 kms over Siberia. Several anti-satellite tests not counting, this is the first such event for two non-manoeuvring Earth-orbiting bodies ("Космос-2251" has no propulsion and has been out of operation for a long time, while "Iridium-33" was operational and had a limited orbit adjustment capability). The collision was an impact (not a sliding touch), which resulted in a nearly total dispersion of both objects. Over 600 individual debris pieces were identified, with their number expected to triple as the cloud spreads out. Satellites were traveling in significantly differing orbital planes, so it can be assumed that a significant number of debris objects was thrown out into a very elongated orbits. This is both good and bad news - such orbits "decay" faster, but they also pose some threat to other satelites, both above and below their original path. The really bad news is the fact that one of unlucky satellites was Iridium, and all 95 of them have very close orbital parameters, which theoretically may lead to a cascade of further collisions between debris from this event with other Irisium satellites. Now that would be a real mess, even if subsequent collisions were non-dispersing (and they nearly certainly will be non-dispersing).
And now - back to reality, where probability is more respected...
And now - back to reality, where probability is more respected...