International Space Station (ISS) adjust its orbit to avoid a fragment of space debris originating from a satellite that disintegrate in 2015 on 19th November 2024, as per NASA reports.
The maneuver raise the station’s altitude of approximately 250 miles (440 kilometres) above Earth, preventing the debris from coming within 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) of the orbital outpost.
This mark the 39th avoidance action taken by the ISS since its initial launch in November 1998 and the first instance of 2024.
Data from NASA shows that over the years, the ISS has conduct many maneuvers annually to protect its crew and infrastructure from space debris, although 2024 has seen fewer incidents compare to previous years.
Hugh Lewis, a professor of astronautics at the University of Southampton, explain in Live Science that while fewer evasive actions have been need so far this year, this could change unpredictably, with sudden increases in collision risks potentially necessitating immediate responses.
As per reports, increase solar activity during the current solar maximum cycle has influencing the behaviour of space debris.
Solar events, such as coronal mass ejections, cause Earth’s atmosphere to expand, creating drag that can alter debris trajectories.
Also, deliberate satellite destruction tests, such as Russia’s anti-satellite (ASAT) test in 2021, have significantly contribute to the accumulation of hazardous debris.
Four of the nine maneuvers conduct by the ISS since 2021 were link to fragments from Cosmos-1408, a Soviet-era satellite targeted during the ASAT operation.
Experts, including Hugh Lewis, have emphasise the importance of removing defunct satellites to limit debris growth.
It was said that proactive measures, such as deorbiting retire satellites, would reduce collision threats significantly.
With the ISS schedule for decommissioning in 2031, maintaining safe operations remains critical as the threat from space junk continues to escalate.
