Space Junk May Require ISS Maneuver In Advance of SpaceX's Dragon

SpaceX's Dragon capsule, loaded with food and scientific gear, is scheduled to launch toward the ISS tomorrow evening (with backup launch slots on each of the following two days). There's a last-minute wrinkle, though: Space.com managing editor Tariq Malik reports that a piece of space debris "will pass near enough to the space station on Monday morning (Oct. 8) to require an avoidance maneuver as a safety precaution, NASA space station program manager Mike Suffredini said in a briefing [Saturday]." Tomorrow's planned flight is to be the first under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA that calls for a dozen resupply flights by SpaceX, essential in the post-shuttle era."

Comments

Crouching Station, Launching Dragon

[toygeek]

Subject says it

Re:This is normal.

[gagol]

It would not accept resupply from space ships of other companies/agencies... It would be able to do only one thing at a time and have rounded corners. Radio reception would be spotty at best. Nasa would have to sue every other countries because thay too have stuff in space that orbits, but it would be shiny and hippy. Seriously, we dont need that, he did enough damage already!

Re:This is normal.

[martin-boundary]

I wonder why it's shaped like a pizza box?

It's to prevent a blitz-attack by spaceballs. The more ludicrous the shape of the safety zone around the space station, the slower the spaceball attack must be. Due to quantum conservation of ludicrousness. Well known fact.