SciBuff.com

NASA is currently tracking an oval-shaped 3 year-old debris from the Ariane 5 expended upper stage (Obj 29274) which is projected to miss the International Space Station (ISS) by 3.2km at the Time of Closest Approach (TCA) at 15:06 UTC on Friday. The original miss distance of 16.609 km was reduced dramatically as tracking models of the object’s highly eccentric orbit (apogee at 32,185 km) have been refined.

Although NASA officials decided that the upcoming Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA2) would not be delayed, a Debris Avoidance Maneuver (DAM) may need to be executed once astronauts John Olivas and Christer Fuglesang (both Mission Specialists) replace the station’s ammonia tank during their spacewalk.

Astronaut John "Danny" Olivas, STS-128 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station - Photo Credit: NASA

In March earlier this year, the station’s crew was evacuated to the Soyuz spacecraft as the station was threatened by a orbital debris from the Cosmos – Iridium collision a few weeks earlier.