Bridenstine Says Space Debris Is Getting Worse as ISS Avoids Collision Written 24 September 2020
Attached to the exterior of the ISS, the Space Debris Sensor (SDS) collects data on small orbital debris. | iGoal Animation; NASA
CNN reports that on Tuesday, the ISS “narrowly avoided a collision with space debris for the third time this year.” There “have been three ‘high concern potential conjunctions’ with space debris in the last two weeks alone, and the ISS has had to maneuver three times to avoid debris this year, NASA said.” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted at 5:22 p.m. EDT Tuesday, “Maneuver Burn complete. The astronauts are coming out of safe haven.” In a follow-up tweet, Bridenstine said that the ISS “has maneuvered 3 times in 2020 to avoid debris...In the last 2 weeks, there have been 3 high concern potential conjunctions. Debris is getting worse! Time for Congress to provide @CommerceGov with the $15 mil requested by @POTUS for the Office of Space Commerce.”
Full Story (CNN)