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Ex-US Intel Officer Recalls Washington's Shock at India's Anti-Satellite Test
- •Former US intelligence officer David Grusch revealed Washington's surprise at India's 2019 anti-satellite missile test, Mission Shakti.
- •Grusch, then at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), described frantic calls and concerns over debris risking US reconnaissance spacecraft.
- •US officials knew of an Indian missile test but did not anticipate an anti-satellite weapon, catching intelligence agencies off guard.
- •India's Mission Shakti, using a DRDO-developed missile, successfully destroyed its Microsat-R satellite in low Earth orbit.
- •The test made India the fourth country to demonstrate ASAT capability, with the government stating it was to safeguard space assets, not to start an arms race.
Key Questions Answered
India's 2019 anti-satellite missile test caught US intelligence personnel by surprise at the National Reconnaissance Office. Former intelligence officer David Grusch recalled frantic moments inside the operations centre as officials scrambled to assess the situation.
The immediate concern inside the NRO was the debris generated by the destruction of the satellite and whether it posed a risk to US reconnaissance spacecraft. Orbital analysts were asked to calculate the debris field and determine if American satellites needed to maneuver.
India carried out Mission Shakti on March 27, 2019, using a DRDO-developed anti-satellite missile launched from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. The interceptor used a hit-to-kill method to strike the Microsat-R satellite in low Earth orbit.
