To ensure safety from an approaching piece of space debris, the ISS’s orbit was raised using the Progress 89 thrusters. This preventive measure kept the space station clear from potential collision without affecting its scheduled operations, including the launch of a new cargo craft.
At 2:09 p.m. CST on Tuesday, the Progress 89 thrusters fired for 5 minutes and 31 seconds to adjust the International Space Station’s orbit. This maneuver created additional distance from a piece of orbital debris, a fragment from a defunct defense meteorological satellite that broke apart in 2015. The Pre-determined Debris Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM) was carried out in coordination with NASA, Roscosmos, and other space station partners.
Ballistics experts estimated that without this adjustment, the debris could have passed within approximately 2.5 miles of the station.
The maneuver had no impact on station operations and will not interfere with Thursday’s scheduled launch of the Progress 90 cargo craft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
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