The International Space Station (ISS) 2022 performed three successful collision avoidance maneuvers (CAM) compared to a total of 33 since 1999. Read to know more.
ISS avoided three collisions in 2022
In contrast with the 33 collision avoidance maneuvers (CAM) since 1999, the International Space Station performed three in 2022. The structure houses astronauts at an altitude of 425 km and orbits the Earth at over a speed of 28,000 kmph. Hence, the structure is usually at risk of collision from large and small space debris. While performing a collision avoidance maneuver, the ISS fires its engine for moving away and staying clear of incoming objects.
“The American segments of the ISS are protected against orbital debris 1cm and smaller. The biggest threat to the ISS comes from debris too small to be tracked, but large enough to penetrate the protection shields (debris between 1cm to 10cm for US modules),” revealed Dr. Jer Chyi Liou. Dr. Liou is the Chief Scientist for Orbital Debris at NASA. Additionally, he added the US Space Force is tracking over 47,000 pieces of space debris.
More on the space debris and its danger
Experts reveal that over 500 different shields are protecting the ISS. They are known as Micrometeroids and Orbital debris (MMOD) impact protection shields. However, their installation comes with the cost of increasing the mass and volume of the ISS. While the US modules have shields for protection against debris of 1cm and smaller, other parts are not protected. As per Dr. Lous, space debris is a while concern as the average speed of impact at the lower earth orbit is 10 km/second. This is ten times faster than the speed of a bullet and can be catastrophic. (www.losaltosresort.com)