Two satellites narrowly miss colliding over US city of Pittsburgh
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Two satellites hurtling across the sky at nearly 33,000 mph (53,000 km/h) narrowly missed a collision over the US state of Pennsylvania on Wednesday.
The objects in question are an Infrared Astronomical Satellite (Irsa) that was launched in 1983 and another experimental US craft, the GGSE-4 satellite, launched in 1967.
The GGSE-4 satellite has a 60ft (18m) boom – equipment designed to deploy antennae or solar sails – trailing it.
@18SPCS confirmed the 2 inactive satellites (IRSA & GGSE-4) crossed paths without incident. 18th SPCS monitors space debris 24/7/365 & issues conjunction notifications every day to all Nations to support space flight safety. #KeepSpaceSafepic.twitter.com/vijr6KH7hC
The two objects “crossed paths without incident,” a spokesman for US Space Command told the AFP news agency.
US Space Command said the two inactive satellites passed each other at 18:39 EST (23:39 GMT) some 550 miles (900km) above Pittsburgh.
The last time a major satellite collision occurred was in 2009.
Experts predicted that the satellites could pass within 40ft (12m) of each other. They are not operational, but it was feared a collision could create pieces of debris that would damage other objects in orbit.
