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NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore took shelter in the Starliner spacecraft due to debris from a broken Russian satellite.
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The satellite broke into over 100 pieces, forcing the astronauts to seek safety in the spacecraft for an hour.
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The Starliner spacecraft is currently docked to the International Space Station and is facing technical issues that make its return to Earth risky.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore had a close call in space when a Russian satellite broke apart and sent debris hurtling towards the International Space Station. The astronauts quickly took shelter in the Starliner spacecraft, which is currently docked to the ISS. The incident occurred when a defunct Russian Earth Observation satellite, RESURS-P1, suddenly broke into over 100 pieces.
The astronauts were forced to take shelter in the spacecraft for an hour until the debris passed by. The incident highlights the risks of space debris and the importance of proper satellite maintenance. The Starliner spacecraft is facing technical issues that make its return to Earth risky, and NASA has not yet announced a new return date.
The Starliner spacecraft is designed to be a second US spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to the ISS, alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. NASA is working to resolve the technical issues with the spacecraft, and engineers have up to 72 days to figure out a solution. The incident is a reminder of the challenges and risks of space travel, but also the importance of continued investment in space exploration.
