ASAT
Cosmos 1408 ASAT test (November 2021)
Mon Nov 15 2021
Russian direct-ascent anti-satellite test destroyed the defunct Tselina-D satellite Cosmos 1408, creating ~1,500 cataloged debris fragments. ISS crews sheltered in their return capsules. The cloud will keep deorbiting through 2030+.
On November 15, 2021, Russia conducted a direct-ascent anti-satellite test, striking the defunct ELINT satellite Cosmos 1408 at ~480 km altitude. The collision created a cloud of debris that prompted the International Space Station crew to shelter in their Soyuz and Crew Dragon capsules. As of 2026, fragments are still being cataloged and continue to pose conjunction risks for satellites in LEO.