US craft, Russian satellite set for risky space encounter: NASA

Photo: nasa.gov

The U.S. Department of Defense is closely monitoring the proximity between NASA's Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics Mission (TIMED) spacecraft and the Russian Cosmos 2221 satellite. As per NASA's blog post on Wednesday, while it's anticipated that the spacecraft will avoid a direct collision, there is a concern about potential debris in case of an impact. NASA is actively monitoring the situation in collaboration with the Department of Defense. The statement, however, doesn't specify the exact distance between the two spacecraft.

Both satellites, lacking maneuverability, are projected to have their closest encounter around 1:30 am EST (0630 GMT) on Feb. 28, at an altitude of approximately 373 miles (600 km), according to NASA. The TIMED mission aims to explore the impact of the Sun and human activities on Earth's mesosphere, lower thermosphere, and ionosphere.