NASA: Piece of space junk not a threat to station crew
NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman is one of three astronauts on the International Space Station.
April 5th, 2011
03:34 PM ET

NASA: Piece of space junk not a threat to station crew

[Updated at 3:34 p.m. ET] NASA determined Tuesday that a piece of space junk will not pose a threat to the crew aboard the International Space Station.

The space agency had been monitoring a piece of a Chinese satellite that was destroyed in 2007 and had warned the crew to begin making plans to take shelter in the Russian Soyuz capsule if necessary.

 

However, tracking data shows that the debris will not come close enough to warrant an evacuation of the station, NASA said in a statement after the crew was given the all-clear signal.

The debris is expected to be closest to the space station at 4:21 p.m. ET.

The current space station team is made up of NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev and European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli.

 

[Initial post, 1:04 p.m. ET] NASA is monitoring a piece of space junk that could come close enough to collide with the International Space Station, a spokeswoman for the space agency said Tuesday.

Plans are being made for the station's crew of three to take shelter in the Russian Soyuz capsule if necessary, Kelly Humphries said.

The junk is a piece of a Chinese satellite that was destroyed in 2007. It is expected to be near the space station at 4:21 p.m. ET.

A decision will be made around 3 p.m. whether the crew will need to seek safety aboard the Soyuz.

The current space station team is made up of NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev and European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli.

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soundoff (69 Responses)
  1. Jeff Frank - Ohio

    $4 gas is here. Don't buy gas on Fridays.

    April 5, 2011 at 1:16 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Gilligan

    Skipper! Look out for that (thump) tree!

    April 5, 2011 at 3:18 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Mao Tse Tung

    Tremble in fear, imerialist dogs, at my mighty satellite fragments.

    April 5, 2011 at 3:57 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Mao Tse Tung

    p

    April 5, 2011 at 3:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • American Idiot

      Proofread before you click "Post".

      April 5, 2011 at 4:21 pm | Report abuse |
  5. ole lady

    We litter our world and we litter outer space.

    April 5, 2011 at 3:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • Col. Bat Guano

      The litter is "debris" that falls back to earth eventually as little fireballs you might see in the night sky.

      April 6, 2011 at 4:43 am | Report abuse |
  6. banasy

    Amen, ole lady!

    April 5, 2011 at 4:01 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Frank

    @American Stupid Idiot.... You are an Ass

    April 5, 2011 at 4:31 pm | Report abuse |
    • American Idiot

      Frank/ Mao, settle on one name. Give your brain a good squeeze, then post something intelligent.

      April 6, 2011 at 10:47 am | Report abuse |
  8. Herbert

    *FacePalm*

    April 5, 2011 at 4:59 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Satan

    Hi Herb

    April 5, 2011 at 5:01 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Dim Mak

    *Taps Satan's chest*

    April 5, 2011 at 5:08 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Mad Vilagers

    Burn the witch!

    April 5, 2011 at 5:39 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Satan

    Who is posting as me? Is that you God, you little punk? When I catch you I'm gonna give you such a tltty-twister that Jesus' man-boobs will fall off!

    April 5, 2011 at 5:42 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Philip

    Oops...thought the headline was referring to one of our old space shuttles. he he...and if NASAs promise to provide cheap commercial cargo rates in exchange for Congressional funding of the old (he he) space shuttle program had been true, we could afford to hire illegals to clean-up the junk in space instead of just letting them attatch heat-sinks on shuttles.

    April 5, 2011 at 5:48 pm | Report abuse |
  14. raven

    Dim Mak, was that an attack ? On Satan ??

    April 5, 2011 at 5:55 pm | Report abuse |
  15. tom

    @raven... That's a fake Satan

    April 5, 2011 at 5:59 pm | Report abuse |
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