Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
On June 26, a defunct Russian satellite, RESURS-P1, broke up into over 100 pieces of debris in low Earth orbit, prompting immediate action by the ISS crew.
The Expedition 71 crew, including astronauts aboard the Boeing Starliner, were directed to shelter in their docked return spacecraft shortly after 9 p.m. EDT as a safety measure.
NASA confirmed the incident in a brief update, stating that the crew moved to their designated safe areas for about an hour before being cleared to resume normal operations.
Satellite monitoring firm LeoLabs identified the debris event, noting that the non-operational Russian spacecraft released numerous fragments, increasing the space debris threat.
The debris field passed close enough to the ISS to necessitate precautionary measures. The astronauts’ sheltering protocol highlighted the ongoing risk of space debris to space station operations.
U.S. Space Command reported over 100 pieces of trackable debris were generated from the satellite breakup. NASA and other space agencies continue to monitor the debris field using space-tracking radars.
The Boeing Starliner, currently on a test mission with two astronauts, was ready to depart the ISS if necessary. The spacecraft’s departure has been delayed pending review and testing of its thruster systems and helium supply.
The incident underscores the need for international regulations to manage space debris. Space agencies are calling for collaborative efforts to address the growing challenge of maintaining safe operations in an increasingly congested orbital environment.