Space

ISS crew took shelter to avoid passing space junk

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March 25, 2012

Space junk – a piece of an old Russian satellite – whizzed by the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday (March 24, 2012), forcing its six-member crew to take temporary shelter in two Soyuz escape capsules.

The incident was the third of its kind in more than a decade of continuous habitation of ISS, NASA said in a series of Twitter updates.

The Russian space agency said the debris passed within 23 kilometers (14 miles) of ISS, forcing the three Russians, two US astronauts and a Dutch member of the crew to relocate to the two Soyuz capsules on board.

Deborah Byrd

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About the Author:

Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.