Exploring cause of satellite collision
Commercial satellite companies are assessing the impact of a collision in space where a Russian craft destroyed an American communications satellite. Stephen Beard reports on the need to monitor space junk.
More on International, Europe, Science, Russia
TEXT OF STORY
Bill Radke: Commercial satellite companies are assessing the impact of a collision in space earlier this week. An American communications satellite was destroyed when it ran into a Russian craft. From the European Desk in London, Stephen Beard has more.
Stephen Beard: A satellite owned by the U.S. company Iridium crashed into a defunct Russian military satellite. This is the first time that two full-size craft have collided in orbit.
Iridium supplies telecom services. The company says the loss of its craft will have a minimal effect on its business. It has a couple of spare satellites which can be swiftly maneuvered into position.
But the accident underlines a growing problem. David Wade is a satellite insurer with Lloyds of London. He says space is getting crowded.
David Wade: I think this will help to focus the minds of the satellite operators and make them realize that it is a limited resource. There's certainly going to be an emphasis on the amount of debris in low Earth orbit now.
So, the crash could be good for the satellite insurance business. These craft cost at least $10 million. Wade does not believe Iridium's satellite was covered.
In London, this is Stephen Beard for Marketplace.
Comments
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From Los Angeles, CA, 02/16/2009
Responding to Kevin Hopkins . . . The transcript and audio originally posted here was from an earlier Marketplace Morning Report. Stephen Beard filed an update later in the morning. That version is now posted above. Thanks for pointing out the error.
From riverbank, CA, 02/14/2009
hello i was just reading this transcript and i cant believe not one word of it. There is so much vast space out there and the fact that it was a Military russian company I dont believe in coincidenses or accidents of this magnitude. Specially when u consider the parties involved in the collision.
From Champaign, IL, 02/14/2009
This transcript, nor the individual "Listen To This Story," matches the story I heard over the air on February 12. Nor does it match minutes 3:55 through 5:02 of the "Download MP3" of the entire show, which IS what I heard over the air. What might explain these changes?
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