Brain Top Off!

Debris from previous space missions has left debris in orbit called “space junk,” and the International Space Station was almost damaged by some recently. The various satellites, other space stations, and space craft that have entered orbit around the Earth has left a fair amount of debris floating around in space. The junk is moving at five miles per second, which poses mortal danger to astronauts on the ISS if the hull is breached by some of this stuff. Article resource – International Space Station almost struck by space junk by Newsytype.com.

Space Station almost hit

Recently, the International Space Station was nearly hit by some orbiting debris. MSNBC reports this is called “space junk.” A six-inch piece of floating metal was detected in orbit that was heading straight for the space station, and the astronauts aboard were notified about nine hours before the potential collision. A three person crew ended up in the Soyuz capsule going back to earth while there were no other ways to get out. The debris passed by a few miles from the space station.

Grave threat posed by space junk

Any person in orbit could be hurt quite a bit by space junk floating around Earth. It is hard to figure out how much stuff is really up there although thousands of pieces are tracked. Space junk goes about five miles per second which is the real reason why space junk is dangerous. Were any to strike the International Space Station, it would instantly depressurize the facility, sucking all the air into outer space and killing everyone aboard. Occasionally the space station has to be moved. Space.com reports this is because of the debris about to strike it. Space junk caused the station to be moved on April 1, meaning this was the second time in a week the station has almost been struck. There are several solutions to space junk being considered. This should help the issue.

Remembering the past

The first manned spaceflight happened 50 years back. April 12 will be when the exact anniversary is. Earth’s atmosphere was left by male for the first time on April 12, 1961. Yuri Gagarin got to go in the Vostok 1. To commemorate the occasion, a statue of Gagarin is being erected next to a statue of explorer James Cook at The Mall in London, located next to the Admiralty Arch, according to the BBC. Gagarin grew up in a poor family, excelled as a pilot in the Soviet military and was eventually chosen to be the first man to fly in space. A training accident occurred in 1968 when the Soyuz program started. This is when he was killed.

Information from

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/42436198/ns/technology_and_science-space/?GT1=43001

Space.com

space.com/11300-space-junk-station-astronauts-shelter.html

BBC

bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12975006

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