Recall that the ISS is operated since 1998. During this time the station had to do more than a dozen maneuvers to avoid the threat of rapprochement with what is called “waste” in orbit. And the average warning about dangerous rapprochement with the ISS space debris coming at MCC almost every week.
Today in space appear to move erratically over 13 thousand objects larger than 20-30 cm Of which only about 7 percent of the spacecraft. Everything else – huge dump of scattered orbits: dead satellites, fragments of structures, the elements that accompany the removal of the apparatus and which are formed by their destruction.
According to experts, the number of potentially threatening ISS space objects that fly at heights 415-420 km (just where the space station flies) is approaching one thousand units. Of course, the station is designed taking into account hazards from orbital junk: equipped with systems of active and passive protection. It is believed that the orbital complex will be able to withstand a collision with a chip diameter of 1 cm, But the problem from year to year is becoming more serious.
the Most clogged “low” orbit of 300-400 km. where the ISS flies. But the landfill of waste on a sun-synchronous, highly elliptical and geostationary is also decent. Not so long ago only a miracle head-on collided with two old American satellite: a telescope IRAS, launched in 1983, and the military GGSE-4, launched in 1967. Cost. Dead satellites flew at an altitude of about 900 km above the Earth at a speed of 14.7 km/h.
Fragments smaller than 20 cm, there are already hundreds of thousands. But the “muscarinic” 1 centimeter and less – even tens of millions! It is this detail the most dangerous, experts say, because left to their own devices. And speed in space are huge – up to 10-15 km per second. And the energy of this garbage “smalls” is comparable to a loaded KAMAZ, which is racing at the speed of 80-100 km per hour.
As told to the correspondent “RG” the corresponding member of RAS, doctor of technical Sciences Nikolai Ivanov, debris can fly anywhere. There are certain methods and techniques on the likelihood of collisions. For example, the probability of collision is 10 to the minus third or fourth degree defines the need for the disposal of the station to another orbit.
Warnings are different levels: “yellow threshold” and is “red”. Here “red” is really bad. Then take emergency measures. For example, a transfer station to another orbit. A few times we even had to evacuate the crew from the ISS in the Soyuz spacecraft, performing the role of “lifeboat”.
When you hear that the ISS to maneuver from garbage, it seems so simple: given the momentum and the station “dodged”. And as for life? We must clearly understand: a station – e��about not a toy that can easily “move”, – experts say. This multi-ton machine. In addition, there is such a thing as ensuring a high-rise strategy.
the ISS is flying in an orbit selected from a well-defined diverse requirements: with a view to ensuring the necessary conditions for the holding of convergence and connections of transport and cargo vehicles, including foreign and security landing crews. So just to move it, as you’d like, you can’t. And after any disposal orbit need to be regenerated to fulfil all the conditions for the further flight. The main operations control team literally stands on the ears. Besides, any maneuvers made up of hundreds of kilograms of fuel. And every kilogram in orbit is worth its weight in gold.
by the Way, Russia is preparing to launch the first dedicated satellite to monitor debris in near-earth space. Such devices will be included in the updated Russian Automated system warning of dangerous situations in near-earth space milky way.
