U.S. and Russian satellites collide

A privately owned U.S. communications satellite -- owned by Iridium-- collided with a defunct Russian military satellite above Russia's Arctic north.

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MORE INFO: Space officials in Russia and the United States are now tracking hundreds of pieces of debris that were spewed into space. One major priority is guarding the International Space Station -- currently the home to one Russian and two U.S. astronauts.

Jon Decker reports.

STORY:

In the first such mishap in space, a privately owned U.S. communications satellite -- owned by Iridium-- collided with a defunct Russian military satellite above Russia's Arctic north.

The crash occurred at roughly 485 miles, an altitude used by satellites that monitor weather, relay communications and perform scientific observations.

Space officials in Russia and the United States are now tracking hundreds of pieces of debris that were spewed into space.

One major priority is guarding the International Space Station -- currently the home to one Russian and two U.S. astronauts.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Heiner Klinkrad, Head Of Esa's Space Debris Office saying:

"The risk increase for the ISS (International Space Station) is not going to be big because ISS is operating at an altitude of about 350 kilometers. This incident happened about 400 kilometers further up so there is some delusion of the result in debris cloud and the effect on ISS is acceptable."

A U.S. government official said there is no indication that the collision was intentional on the part of anyone.

Jon Decker, Reuters.