- Space - Space Exploration ## An American Cold War-era spy satellite just exploded above Earth — and nobody knows why The defunct USA 32 (or Farrah III) satellite, which launched in 1988, broke apart without warning on Sept. 13, around 480 miles above Earth's surface. Experts are still unsure what caused this sudden fragmentation, how many pieces it created, or how the debris might impact other nearby spacecraft. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. - Copy link - Facebook - Reddit - Pinterest - Flipboard An American spy…