Posted on 09/30/2026 1:23:29 PM PDT by Red Badger
An American spy satellite that was recently declassified to the public has mysteriously exploded, sparking concern that more satellites that provide phone and internet service may soon suffer the same fate.
The device, called USA 32, broke apart while in low Earth orbit on September 13, creating a large debris cloud just over 480 miles above the planet, the US Space Force said.
The military added that 'further analysis is ongoing' and did not release any other details or rule out the possibility of an anti-satellite weapon.
USA 32 had been in space since 1988 and was also known by its classified code name 'Farrah III' during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which builds and operates America's spy satellites to collect intelligence from space, had just revealed the full details of its mission last year - which was to listen for Soviet radar and other electronic signals and relay that data to the US military.
Although the satellite's mission had allegedly been over for years, its sudden destruction was not planned and the exact cause of the explosion has not been determined.
That mystery, which some have suspected could have been a collision with space debris or a meteor, has sparked concerns that other satellites which operate in this busy lane of space traffic could be next.
A statement by Spaceweather.com, which is run by astronomer Dr Tony Phillips, warned: 'Other satellites may be in danger. USA 32 broke up in a crowded shell of low Earth orbit. The collision threat is real.'
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Exploding satellite ping!............ 🤔
“The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which builds and operates America’s spy satellites to collect intelligence from space, had just revealed the full details of its mission last year - which was to listen for Soviet radar and other electronic signals and relay that data to the US military.”
Assuming it’s still active, then it’s a legitimate target in the Iran war, and the Neocon War in Ukraine.
A Chinese satellite recently suffered spontaneous combustion as well. I wonder if there is some “tit for tat” going on?
“listen for Soviet radar and other electronic signals...”
“Soviet!!!! radar”...
How many years has this satellite been up there?
Ask not for whom the bell tolls...
If true this is not good from an “environmental” impact. All that debris is now a threat to other satellites, let alone future space flights and possibly even the space stations if they’re in the orbital path.
> Soviet!!!! radar”... How many years has this satellite been up there? <
Those folks seem to be behind the times. But at least they didn’t call it tsarist radar.
China’s Yaogan 50-02 reconnaissance satellite broke apart in a rare retrograde orbit on September 4, 2026, generating 43 tracked pieces of space debris. The rumor is that it was destroyed by US forces in retaliation for supplying intelligence information to Iran. The US satellite blowing up is probably the Chinese response.
“ listen for Soviet radar and other electronic signals...”
“Soviet!!!! radar”...
How many years has this satellite been up there?
**************************************************
Since 1988… over 3 years before the end of the Soviet Union.
It functioned for nearly 40 years...
How long was it expected to last?
Most likely the case. But hey, we need alarming titles in order to get attention........
Fine… then a bunch of Russian satellites are legit targets too.
One of China’s blew a week before:
A Chinese Satellite Suddenly Shattered In Orbit, Creating A New Space Debris Threat, Daily Galaxy ^ | Sept 4 2026 | Linda Amazouz
A Chinese satellite breakup has created a new debris field in a rare orbit where fragments may remain for centuries.
A Chinese reconnaissance satellite has broken apart in a rare high-altitude orbit, creating dozens of tracked debris fragments that may remain around Earth for centuries, according to reports from Gizmodo and orbital tracking experts.
The failure of Yaogan-50 (02) has added a new debris field to one of the more difficult regions of space to manage. The fragments are now traveling in a highly retrograde orbit, a path that moves against the direction of Earth’s rotation and creates challenging conditions for future spacecraft operations.
Yep. If this continues, soon satellites will be blown apart not by space lasers and such but simply by being struck by debris. Isn’t there now a name for that eventuality? The Kessler Effect or something like that.
MAYBE I AM A BIT DENSE-—BUT WHY OH, WHY WOULD WE TELL THE WORLD ABOUT OUR “ASSETS” ??????
38
“It functioned for nearly 40 years...
How long was it expected to last?”
_________________________________________________________
Don’t know, but it was 80’s technology and the assigned mission was complete, so 3 or 4 years in those days.
For all things aerospace (and a lot more) my go-to place is Behind The Black and space historian, reporter Robert Zimmerman.
Here is the behindtheblack.com article on this satellite.
I trust the Daily Mail about as much as I trust Hunter Biden.
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