NASA Tracking Space Debris In Space Station's Route
The US space agency is tracking a piece of space detritus that is predicted to be on a path toward the International Space Station, where the shuttle #-Link-Snipped-# has just docked on its final mission, NASA announced on Sunday. According to deputy manager of the space shuttle program LeRoy Cain, NASA is not ready to confirm whether the debris is projected to collide with the Space Station or the shuttle, though the paths were likely to cross on Tuesday.
#-Link-Snipped-#
An illustrated view of the Earth with low-orbiting space debris!
Cain said, "What we were told today is very preliminary. It is a potential right now." Cain added that he was unaware what size the object may be, but anticipated more information later Sunday or Monday. Tuesday is the planned day for a spacewalk by two US astronauts aboard the International Space Station(ISS) as part of Expedition 28.
Word of the debris came soon after the shuttle Atlantis docked at the orbiting International Space Station for one last time, on its final space journey before the full 30-year US shuttle program shuts down for good. The shuttle docked at 11:07 am (1507 GMT), just over an hour after the spacecraft executed its habitual slow back-flip so that the ISS crew could take pictures of Atlantis's heat shield before clasping onto the lab, NASA said. Hatches opened between the two spacecraft at 12:47 pm (1647 GMT), and the four Atlantis astronauts floated across to greet their ISS crewmates with hugs and smiles.
A close call between the orbiting outpost and a piece of space debris happened just two weeks ago. Earlier, on June 28, a piece of detritus narrowly missed the ISS in a rare incident that impelled the six-member crew to move hurriedly  to their rescue shafts, reported the space agency officials. The high speed object lunged towards the orbiting lab and in all probability missed it by some 1,100 feet(335 meters). The crew took shelter inside two Soyuz spacecraft just 18 minutes before the debris was expected to pass, NASA said. NASA's associate administrator for space operations, Bill Gerstenmaier, said afterward, "It was probably the closest object that has actually come by the space station.  We didn't have any information that it was coming until it was very, very close." The size of the space debris still remains unknown and no harm was done during its fly-by.
The shuttle's return to Earth is currently scheduled for July 20, though NASA may add an extra day to the mission.
Source: #-Link-Snipped-#
#-Link-Snipped-#
An illustrated view of the Earth with low-orbiting space debris!
Cain said, "What we were told today is very preliminary. It is a potential right now." Cain added that he was unaware what size the object may be, but anticipated more information later Sunday or Monday. Tuesday is the planned day for a spacewalk by two US astronauts aboard the International Space Station(ISS) as part of Expedition 28.
Word of the debris came soon after the shuttle Atlantis docked at the orbiting International Space Station for one last time, on its final space journey before the full 30-year US shuttle program shuts down for good. The shuttle docked at 11:07 am (1507 GMT), just over an hour after the spacecraft executed its habitual slow back-flip so that the ISS crew could take pictures of Atlantis's heat shield before clasping onto the lab, NASA said. Hatches opened between the two spacecraft at 12:47 pm (1647 GMT), and the four Atlantis astronauts floated across to greet their ISS crewmates with hugs and smiles.
A close call between the orbiting outpost and a piece of space debris happened just two weeks ago. Earlier, on June 28, a piece of detritus narrowly missed the ISS in a rare incident that impelled the six-member crew to move hurriedly  to their rescue shafts, reported the space agency officials. The high speed object lunged towards the orbiting lab and in all probability missed it by some 1,100 feet(335 meters). The crew took shelter inside two Soyuz spacecraft just 18 minutes before the debris was expected to pass, NASA said. NASA's associate administrator for space operations, Bill Gerstenmaier, said afterward, "It was probably the closest object that has actually come by the space station.  We didn't have any information that it was coming until it was very, very close." The size of the space debris still remains unknown and no harm was done during its fly-by.
The shuttle's return to Earth is currently scheduled for July 20, though NASA may add an extra day to the mission.
Source: #-Link-Snipped-#
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