On Feb. 4, 1995, astronauts aboard the area shuttle bus Discovery introduced an itty bitty satellite called an Orbital Debris Calibration Sphere into orbit around the Earth. The satellite determined just 6 inches across, and it was among six spheres that the astronauts released on objective STS-63. An Orbital Debris Calibration Sphere, or ODERACS, is released from the space shuttle Discovery throughout the STS-63 shuttle mission in February 1995. (Image credit: NASA) The spheres assisted NASA calibrate devices like telescopes and radars that were created to track and measure area scrap drifting around in Earths orbit. The spheres can be found in different sizes, and knowing the size of the spheres as they observed them from the ground permitted NASA scientists to adjust their instruments so they might compute the size of other objects drifting around in space.Catch up on our entire “On This Day In Space” series on YouTube with this playlist. On This Day in Space Archive! Still inadequate space? Do not forget to take a look at our Space Image of the Day, and on the weekends our Best Space Photos and Top Space News Stories of the week. Email Hanneke Weitering at [email protected] or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom and on Facebook..
