Mobile Satellite Industry News

Satellites Cosmos-2251, Iridium-33 not damaged in collision - source(Part 2)

     MOSCOW.  Feb  16 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian satellite Cosmos-2231 and
U.S. satellite  Iridium  33  have  not  been  critically  damaged  in  a
collision and continue to orbit the Earth.
     "Most  probably,  the  collision  was  tangential.  The  satellites
remained  practically  intact.  After  the collision they resumed stable
orbits, although they were changed as compared to their initial orbits,"
the source said.
     The  collision  probably took place between the satellites probably
solar batteries  or some other protruding elements. Therefore the number
of fragments resulting from the collision should be much lower than that
stated earlier, he said.
     According  to  earlier  reports,  the  Russian space control center
registered  38  large  fragments  that  formed  after the collision over
Siberia on February 10. The U.S. side said there were 600 fragments.