After detecting what has been described as a “sudden spike in temperature,” a 20-year-old weather satellite used by the US military exploded, sending dozens of chunks of debris hurtling into Earth’s orbit.
According to the US Air Force, the ageing Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Flight 13 (DMSP-F13) was said to have suffered a “catastrophic event” and exploded into 43 unsalvageable pieces.
CelesTrak, a civilian company, was the first to notice the explosion of the DMSP unit, which the Air Force then confirmed was lost.
DMSP-F13 was launched in 1995, and was the oldest operational satellite in the DMSP weather constellation.
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