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According to NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, space debris collided with the International Space Station, damaging the orbiting laboratory robotic arm.
During a routine inspection on May 12, I noticed a hole in the protective heat cover of my arm, but the robot’s appendages, about 60 feet long, continue to function. Confirmed by Canadian Space Agency staff..
The collision highlights the increased threat posed by orbital debris as the narrow space around the Earth becomes increasingly crowded with satellites, used rocket components, and other annoying objects. Experts say the problem is exacerbated by society’s reliance on satellite systems for communications, GPS, and other everyday conveniences.
It is unknown what hit the robot arm of a space station called Canadarm2 and when the incident occurred, but investigations are underway.
According to officials, the hole appears to be about 0.2 inches in diameter, and damage is limited to a small portion of Canadarm2.
“Despite the impact, the results of the ongoing analysis show that the performance of the arm is not affected,” a Canadian Space Agency official said in a statement, calling the collision a “lucky strike.” ..
The Pentagon is tracking over 27,000 space junks, including about 23,000 objects larger than softball. These debris fly in orbit at 18,000 miles per hour, threatening functioning spacecraft and pose a safety risk to astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
In the history of the space station, NASA had to perform at least 26 special operations to dodge debris in orbit that was too close to the post too base before it orbited.
In April, four astronauts on their way to the ISS with one of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsules were warned of a possible collision with space debris shortly after being launched into orbit. However, the U.S. Space Force has since confirmed that this is a false alarm and there is no danger of the object colliding with the spacecraft.
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