'Can't be kept secret': DRDO on Chidambaram's 'foolish govt' remark on Mission Shakti

The DRDO on Saturday said that the Mission Shakti was of the nature that could not be kept a secret as the satellite in such a test is tracked by many stations across the world.

“Mission of this nature after a test is conducted can’t be kept secret. The satellite is tracked by many stations across the world. All necessary permissions were taken,” said DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy.

The reaction came on senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability, saying only a "foolish government" would make such a disclosure and "betray" a defence secret.

Responding to reports that Mission Shakti created 250-270 objects of debris in the space, Reddy said that a much lower orbit of less than 300 km was chosen to avoid threat of debris to global space assets.

He added that all the debris created in the space will be decayed within 45 days.

Criticising India for the tests, NASA had described it as a “terrible, terrible” thing that had endangered the International Space Station (ISS). It also said that it will lead to creation of nearly 400 pieces of orbital debris. NASA also maintained that some of the debris posed a risk to astronauts on board the ISS.

Following the ‘Mission Shakti’, the United States had said it is tracking the space debris generated due to ASAT missile test in lower earth orbit, but the International Space Station or ISS is not at risk.

Reddy said the mission will be helpful for the Indian defence system. The A-SAT will locate and trace the enemy radar.

On March 27, PM Modi, in an address to the nation, announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite under 'Mission Shakti', describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space superpowers