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September 23, 2020The astronauts on the International Space Station performed a maneuver to avoid being hit by a flurry of space debris.
This was reported by NASA, urging better management of objects in Earth's orbit.
The station boosted its orbit out of the way of an unknown piece of space debris today after a docked resupply ship fired its engines at 5:19 pm ET.
The Exp 63 crew has resumed normal activities.
More ... https://t.co/LWOgLdshbQ pic.twitter.com/xoYwCyQDsS
- Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) September 22, 2020
Russian and US air
traffic
controllers worked together during a two and a half minute operation aimed at regulating the station's orbit and moving away, avoiding collision.
The debris passed about 1.4 kilometers from the Space Station, NASA said.
The three crew members - two Erussians and an American - moved close to the Soyuz spacecraft at the start of the maneuver so they could evacuate if necessary, the US Space Agency added, adding that the maneuver was decided "on precautionary purpose ".
Once completed, the astronauts returned to their normal activities.
The menacing wreck was a piece from a 2018 Japanese rocket, astronomer Jonathan McDowell wrote on Twitter.
The rocket broke into 77 pieces last year.
The ISS usually orbits 420 kilometers high at a speed of about 17,000 miles per hour.
At such speed, even a small object could seriously damage the station.