A Cold War Spy Satellite Named After Farrah Fawcett Just Blew Apart in Orbit
4 hours ago
- An American spy satellite, USA-32, unexpectedly fragmented on September 13, creating a debris cloud in low-Earth orbit.
- The U.S. Space Force confirmed the breakup but has not identified the cause; no immediate threats to other spacecraft have been reported.
- Launched in 1988 as part of the classified NRO FARRAH program, the satellite was designed to intercept Soviet radar emissions.
- The defunct satellite may have exploded due to leftover propellant, a failed battery, or a collision with space debris; deliberate destruction is unlikely.