December 12, 2024

Space Station Operations Return to Normal After Destructive Russian Anti-Satellite Test

This debris cloud that was just produced has actually increased the risk to the station. The cataloging of the overall variety of identifiable pieces of debris is continuous. Once the debris cloud is dispersed and products are tracked and catalogued, NASA will get alerts of possible combination risks to the station and perform maneuvers as required. In addition, NASA will continue to perform visual evaluations and evaluation telemetry information to ensure automobile health.
Teams are examining the threat levels to conduct various objective activities. Any modifications to launches, spacewalks, and other occasions will be updated as required.

NASA and U.S. Space Command continue to keep track of the particles cloud created by a current Russian anti-satellite test. The largest threat from the debris was in the very first 24 hours and telemetry from the space station suggests no issues during that time. Following the occurrence, crew members were awoken, informed of the particles and asked to close particular hatches based on the area stations safe haven treatments. Space debris is tracked by Space Command and combination analysis is performed by NASA, with mitigations offered for particles clouds and private conjunction dangers (such as particles avoidance maneuvers).

Illustration revealing prospective area scrap dangers. Credit: University of Warwick/Mark Garlick
NASA and U.S. Space Command continue to keep an eye on the debris cloud created by a current Russian anti-satellite test. The largest danger from the debris was in the very first 24 hours and telemetry from the space station shows no issues during that time.
Following the occurrence, crew members were awoken, informed of the particles and asked to close particular hatches based on the space stations safe house procedures. Hatches in between the U.S. and Russian segments likewise were closed at first, but were later opened when the higher danger duration passed. Crew members everyday tasks were adjusted throughout this time to accommodate the hatch closure. After closing the hatches, the team then entered their Soyuz and Crew Dragon spacecraft for roughly two hours, from 2 a.m.– 4 a.m. EST. No particles avoidance maneuver was performed.
From left are, Expedition 66 team members Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos; Thomas Marshburn of NASA; Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos; Raja Chari, Mark Vande Hei and Kayla Barron, all from NASA; and Matthias Maurer from ESA (European Space Agency). Credit: NASA
Space debris is tracked by Space Command and combination analysis is performed by NASA, with mitigations offered for particles clouds and specific combination threats (such as particles avoidance maneuvers). If orbital particles were to strike the station and trigger an air leak, the team would close hatches to the impacted module. If crew members do not have time to close the affected module, they would enter their particular spacecraft and, if required, undock from the spaceport station to go back to Earth.