Crew on International Space Station Take Cover Due to Debris from Disintegrating Russian Satellite

The crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) had to take cover because of a debris hazard caused by a disintegrating Russian satellite. The satellite, named RESURS-P1, broke apart in Earth’s orbit on June 26, creating over 100 pieces of trackable space debris. This event was monitored by the US Space Command.

As a safety measure, NASA instructed the astronauts to shelter in the spaceships that brought them to the ISS. The crew stayed in their spaceships for about an hour before resuming their normal activities. The satellite disintegrated at roughly the same altitude as the ISS.

The ISS is one of the most heavily shielded spacecraft ever built. Its critical components, like high-pressure tanks and habitable compartments, can withstand direct hits from space debris up to a centimeter in diameter. The US Space Surveillance Network provides situational information to the ISS operations, and the station usually maneuvers away from debris if there’s more than a 1 in 10,000 chance of a collision.

Astronauts on the Boeing Crew Flight Test

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, the pilot and commander of the Boeing Starliner mission, are both experienced astronauts with over 500 days in space. They are assisting with maintenance activities on the ISS and conducting scientific experiments. Recently, they replaced cameras and carbon dioxide sensors in an experimental plant habitat that grows small crops like lettuce and tomatoes for research in microgravity. These crops also serve as food for the astronauts.

Orbital Plumbing

Williams and Wilmore also prepared a rebuilt pressure control and pump assembly motor for installation in the bathroom of the Tranquility module. The original module was broken, and the astronauts worked on removing the failed unit and replacing it in the waste and hygiene compartment of the Tranquility module. They had previously worked on plumbing in the Harmony module.

Status of the Boeing Starliner

The Boeing team is focusing on understanding the Service Module, which contains the propulsion system and thrusters that did not function properly. The module also has a faulty valve and multiple leaks in the helium tanks. This Service Module will be jettisoned shortly before reentry and will not return to Earth. Therefore, ground teams are trying to learn as much as they can about it while it is still in space. The Boeing Starliner can remain docked for up to 72 days, relying on backup systems.