**Space Station Crew Takes Emergency Shelter After Russian Satellite Breaks Up**
Astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) were instructed to take emergency shelter in their respective spacecraft after NASA detected the breakup of a Russian satellite within the station’s orbit. The incident, which occurred late Wednesday, created a debris field that posed a potential threat to the ISS.
Around 9 p.m. EDT, Mission Control alerted the crew to the danger. The crew, consisting of two Russian cosmonauts, five NASA astronauts, and one European Space Agency astronaut, took refuge in the spacecraft they arrived in. The ISS currently has three docked spacecraft equipped with life-support systems: Boeing’s Starliner, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, and a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
Boeing’s Starliner, which had brought NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the ISS on June 6, was part of the emergency shelter plan. Despite ongoing troubleshooting issues with Starliner, the spacecraft performed as expected during the debris event. “Starliner’s Safe Haven worked exceptionally well and as envisioned for this case,” said Starliner flight director Ed Van Cise.
The U.S. Space Command confirmed that the defunct Russian satellite, Resurs-P1, had broken up, generating over 100 pieces of trackable debris. “USSPACECOM has observed no immediate threats and is continuing to conduct routine conjunction assessments to support the safety and sustainability of the space domain,” the command stated.
NASA’s mission control continued to monitor the debris path, and about an hour later, the crew was cleared to resume normal activities on the ISS. This incident marks the second time since November 2021 that the ISS crew has had to shelter due to Russian spacecraft debris. Unlike the 2021 incident, which was a deliberate anti-missile test, this breakup appears to be unintentional.
Astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who tracks objects in space, noted that the 12,300-pound Russian satellite, which ceased operations in 2022, was expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere later this year. McDowell suggested that Russia would unlikely use a satellite as large as Resurs-P1 for another anti-missile test.
The ISS orbits about 200 miles above Earth, an area densely populated with satellites and thousands of pieces of space junk from old spacecraft and other manufactured objects. While most space debris is pulled back by Earth’s gravity and burns up in the atmosphere, some pieces survive the fall. This year, two pieces of space junk were recovered in the U.S., including one that crashed through a Florida man’s home.
NASA works closely with the U.S. military to monitor the area around the ISS. The space station is typically moved if any trackable pieces roughly 2 inches in size come within a “pizza box”-shaped area of space surrounding the ISS orbit. This box is approximately 2.5 by 30 by 30 miles, with the ISS at the center. If the hazard is significant, astronauts may shelter in their return spacecraft, as they did during the recent incident.
The Resurs-P1 satellite, launched on June 25, 2013, was used for various applications, including defense, emergency monitoring, and agriculture. It was decommissioned in December 2021 due to a failure of onboard equipment. The satellite’s breakup highlights the growing concern over space debris, with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracking over 45,300 space objects.
The incident also underscores the importance of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which is currently on a test mission with two astronauts. Starliner is authorized to leave the ISS in case of emergency. The spacecraft’s nominal departure date has not yet been released, pending the review and testing of its thruster systems and helium supply.
NASA and Boeing officials have emphasized that developmental missions like Starliner often fall outside planned schedules due to unexpected issues. Despite some thruster anomalies, the spacecraft remains operational, and the crew is safe. “They’re all safe and sound,” said ULA CEO Tory Bruno, adding that there is no urgency for the crew’s return.
The recent debris event serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks associated with space exploration. As the number of satellites and space debris continues to grow, the need for effective monitoring and mitigation strategies becomes increasingly critical to ensure the safety of astronauts and the sustainability of space operations.
Source: NASA, U.S. Space Command, LeoLabs, Reuters, Space.com
