An upcoming piece of space debris prompted the International Space Station to take evasive action by maneuvering itself out of harm’s way. The Russian cargo ship at the space station fired its thrusters for over five minutes to create more distance between the station and the debris, which was not on a direct collision course but posed a potential threat. This debris, from a defunct meteorological satellite, adds to the growing problem of space junk cluttering Earth’s orbit, which can endanger space missions and astronauts on the space station.
NASA worked with Roscosmos to conduct the avoidance maneuver, raising the station’s orbit to avoid a piece of orbital debris from a satellite that disintegrated in 2015. Without the maneuver, the debris could have come within 2.5 miles of the station. This maneuver did not disrupt regular station operations or affect the launch of the Russian Progress 90 cargo craft.
The International Space Station has had to perform avoidance maneuvers multiple times due to the increasing amount of space debris in low-Earth orbit. Agencies worldwide are taking steps to reduce and limit space junk, such as the Global Zero Debris Charter by the European Space Agency. NASA and Roscosmos are also monitoring and addressing an air leak in the Russian segment of the station, which has led to disagreements between the two agencies. NASA expressed concerns about the structural integrity of the module and the potential for catastrophic failure.
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