Ex-US Official Recalls Shock Over India's 2019 ASAT Missile Test

Hindustan Times · world

A former US intelligence officer, David Grusch, recounted the surprise of American officials at India's 2019 anti-satellite missile test. Grusch, who was on duty at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) operations center, described the agency scrambling to assess debris impact on US spy satellites. He recalled contacting the US Embassy while analysts calculated the debris field. India's Mission Shakti successfully demonstrated its ASAT capability by destroying a defunct satellite in low Earth orbit, joining an elite group of space-faring nations.