Space Junk Near Miss: ISS Maneuvers to Avoid Collision
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The ISS's Orbit Adjustment
On November 10, the International Space Station (ISS) had to adjust its orbit to a higher altitude due to an impending close encounter with space debris. Calculations indicated that the debris would come within 600 meters (less than 2,000 feet) of the station on November 12, prompting the necessary orbital maneuver.
This adjustment, marking the 29th such event for the ISS, also positioned it favorably for the arrival of two Russian spacecraft. The presence of atmospheric drag at high altitudes necessitates these periodic adjustments to maintain the station's orbit.
According to the Russian space agency Roscosmos, "The avoidance maneuver was calculated by ballistics specialists at the Flight Control Center at TsNIImash, which allowed us to cancel the November 16 orbit adjustment."
Section 1.1: Recent Orbital Changes
This repositioning was the first since October 12, moving the ISS from approximately 418 km (260 miles) to 438.4 km (272.4 miles) above Earth. Following the adjustment, four astronauts from NASA's Crew-3 mission launched toward the ISS, bringing the station to its maximum capacity of seven crew members.
Subsection 1.1.1: Historical Context
In 2007, the Chinese military conducted a kinetic-impact missile test on the Fengyun-1C weather satellite, which had been nonoperational for five years. This test, performed well above the ISS's orbit, fragmented the satellite into thousands of pieces of debris that continue to pose a risk to spacecraft today.
Over time, many fragments of this debris have drifted into lower orbits, leading to the ISS having to evade debris from this incident on three separate occasions.
Section 1.2: Current Challenges in Space
At 11:15 pm Moscow time on November 10, 2021, a command was issued to activate the mooring and orientation engines of the Progress MS-18 transport cargo vehicle docked to the Zvezda service module of the Russian segment of the ISS for six minutes, as reported by Roscosmos.
As global space activities increase, the orbital environment is becoming congested with defunct satellites, discarded rocket components, and even waste materials like frozen urine bags.
Innovative Solutions for Space Cleanup
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, is among those advocating for initiatives to clean up Earth's orbital space, enhancing the safety of navigation for spacecraft and astronauts.
Author James Maynard, a lifelong space enthusiast with degrees in physics, chemistry, and history, serves as the founder and publisher of The Cosmic Companion. Originally from New England, he now resides in Tucson with his wife, Nicole, and their cat, Max.
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