In 2009, the defunct Russian satellite Kosmos 2251 collided with the active U.S. satellite Iridium 33 at an altitude of about 790 km, generating about 2,000 debris fragments, many of which remain in orbit.
NOT BSTOTAL BS
NOT BS — Verdict: True
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The Short Version
The core facts are well supported by authoritative space-agency and peer-reviewed sources. Kosmos 2251 and Iridium 33 collided in 2009 at roughly the 780–800 km band, commonly reported near 789–790 km, and the event produced on the order of 2,000 trackable debris fragments. A substantial number remained in orbit for many years afterward.
Caveats
Exact altitude varies across reputable sources, with figures ranging from about 776 km to about 790 km.
Debris totals depend on when the count was made and what size threshold was tracked; early counts were lower and later catalog totals exceeded 2,000.
The number still in orbit changes over time, so current remaining-fragment counts should not be confused with the total produced by the collision.