The destruction by India of one of its satellites using an anti - satellite missile created at least 270 pieces of potentially dangerous “ " junk ” . The Indian Air Force , which is monitoring the objects , said the amount of junk could vary . The test was “ strictly speaking ” a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty , according to Frans von der Dunk of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln . However , the anti - satellite test was not technically illegal , as there is no binding international rule about creating space debris , he added . =
The destruction by India of one of its satellites using an anti-satellite missile created at least 270 pieces of potentially dangerous “space junk”. The US Air Force, which is tracking the objects, said the amount of junk could grow. The test was “strictly speaking” a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, according to Frans von der Dunk of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. However, the anti-satellite test was not technically illegal, as there is no binding international rule about creating space debris, he added. =