Blogger update, 1:05 p.m.: The small piece of space debris that threatened the International Space Station crew has passed without incident, NASA has confirmed.The three-person crew is exiting the Soyuz spacecraft, opening U.S. hatches and returning to normal duties. They were given the "all clear" at 12:45 p.m. EDT.
The crew of the International Space Station will be taking shelter in a Soyuz lifeboat in case an approaching piece of space debris strikes the orbiting outpost.
Station skipper Mike Fincke and flight engineers Yury Lonchakov and Sandra Magnus will remain in the Soyuz until the debris from a spent U.S. upper stage motor passes by the outpost at 12:37 p.m. EDT. The debris is about one-third-of-an-inch in diameter. Traveling seven times the speed of a rifle bullet, it could cause significant damage if it strikes the hull of the outpost.
The debris is expected to pass about 4.5 kilometers from the station, and the shletering is a precautionary measure. The crew would be ready to abandon ship if the debris for some reason struck the station and caused a decompression.
The piece was spotted approaching the area of the station late Wednesday. The crew sealed the U.S. segment of the outpost. The decision to shelter was made because it was deemed too late to execute a collision-avoidance maneuver.
11 comments:
,,,Well what happened?
Next to last paragraph, 1st sentence. What exactly IS shletering? Perhaps you should get a writer who knows how to spell, or at least a proofreader...
Anonymous:
Thanks for pointing out the typo. We'll fix it.
Was it said how close the object actually passed the station?
Checking...
NASA said it's assumed the debris passed 4.5 kilometers from the station as projected by US Space Command....
so if I were a space terrorist I would send up nosecone full of BBs and explode it at 22,000 miles above earth...I think you are better off not reporting on the dangers and speed of trash in space and specific incidents.
What mechanism was used to detect an object only a 1/3 inch in diameter.
I thoght the debris would fall down in a year or two just like the satellites without propellsion. How did this debris survive 16 years?
Shletering is yiddish for "putting your shields up"
How in the world is it possible to detect something going ,at that high speed , and so small, at 360 degree's in all directions around the space station, for 24 hours a day , everyday????
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