Monday, March 6, the international space stationinternational space station (ISS) has adjusted its orbitorbit in order to avoid the close passage of an Argentinian satellite. The engines used were those of the Progress MS-22 freighter, moored at the Station. The update feufeu engines lasted six minutes and fifteen seconds. The alert had come from the 18e space defense squadronUS Space Forcewhich constantly scans the sky to spot potential collisions between satellites, but also with space debris.
The spokesperson for the NasaNasaSandra Jones, clarified to SpaceNews that without the avoidance manoeuvre, the satellite would have passed 2.7 kilometers from the Station. Twenty minutes before the maneuver, the ISS controllers had received information that the encounter would be safe, but they decided to move the Station anyway.
The 41-kilogram satellite belongs to the ÑuSat fleet, dedicated to terrestrial imagery from low orbit, and operated by the Argentinian operator Satellogic. The satellite was identified as ÑuSat-17, placed into orbit in November 2020. The constellationconstellation currently has about thirty satellites, put into orbit by the Falcon 9Falcon 9but also by launcherspitchers Chinese (and even once a VegaVega). Satellogic plans to initially have 90 satellites for weekly worldwide coverage, and later increase to 300 satellites for daily coverage.
According to specialist Jonathan McDowell, the ÑuSat fleet is the only constellation, among many others, whose orbital planes meet the altitude of space stations. Also, it was not communicated whether ÑuSat-17 still had enough fuel to maneuver on its own.
Space debris forces NASA to postpone spacewalk
Article written by Dorian de Shaepmeester, published on 1is December 2021.
Space debris continues to threaten the International Space Station (ISS). NASA announced in a November 30 press release to postpone the extra-vehicular mission scheduled for the same day in order to ensure the safety of two astronautsastronauts, Kayla Barron and Thomas Marshburn. The decision follows an alert issued the day before, on November 29, concerning a potential impact between the ISS and debris orbiting in the same orbit. The space agency did not share further details regarding the postponement of the spacewalk.
Thomas Marshburn and Kayla Barron were originally scheduled to perform an S-band antiphon replacement operation. The maneuver, from a durationduration six-thirty, also involved German astronaut Matthias Maurer, in charge of handling the Canadarm2 robotic arm. The spacewalk will be rescheduled over the next few days.
