Space Station Hits Thrusters To Avoid Space Junk
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CAPE CANAVERAL (CBSMiami/AP) — The engine of the International Space Station was fired up Wednesday morning to move it out of the way of some passing space junk.
Flight controllers raised the space station's orbit by a mile because a small piece of debris from an old Chinese satellite was going to come dangerously close. Without the maneuver, the two objects would have come within seven-tenths of a mile later in the morning, too close for NASA's comfort.
The three space station astronauts were informed of the situation. NASA says they were never in danger.
A maneuver had been planned anyway for later Wednesday in preparation for the launch of three more astronauts on November 23rd from Kazakhstan.
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