spacetoday.net: Orbital debris passes close to ISS

Orbital debris passes close to ISS

Posted: Wed, Jun 29, 2011, 8:18 AM ET (1218 GMT)
An unidentified piece of orbital debris passed close to the International Space Station Tuesday morning, forcing the station's crew to briefly take shelter in their Soyuz spacecraft. Flight controllers got short notice that the piece of debris, of unknown size, could pass within 250 meters of the station shortly after 8 am EDT (1200 GMT) Tuesday. With no time to adjust the station's orbit, the six members of the ISS crew boarded the two Soyuz spacecraft docked to the station until several minutes after the object's closest approach, when it was clear the danger has passed. Tuesday was the second time the station's crew had to take shelter in Soyuz spacecraft because of a threat of potential collision with orbital debris.