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How NASA Steers the Int'l Space Station Around Asteroids & Other Debris

Posted by Soulskill on from the get-out-and-push dept.

willith writes "I got to sit down with ISS TOPO Flight Controller Josh Parris at the Houston Mission Control Center and talk about how NASA steers all 400 tons of the International Space Station around potential collisions, or 'conjunctions,' in NASA-parlance. The TOPO controller, with assistance from USSTRATCOM's big radars, keeps track of every object that will pass within a 'pizza-box'-shaped 50km x 50km x 4km perimeter around the ISS. Actually moving the station is done with a combination of large control moment gyros and thrusters on both the Zvezda module and visiting vehicles. It's a surprisingly complex operation!"

6 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. Surprisingly complex by kcbanner · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I would have been surprised if it wasn't complex, its a space station

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  2. Asteroids by Megane · · Score: 2

    How NASA Steers the Int'l Space Station Around Asteroids & Other Debris

    If the ISS is anywhere near an asteroid, then Houston, we have a serious problem. (Likewise, if an asteroid is anywhere near LEO, we also have a serious problem.)

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  3. Collision probability threshold levels by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 3, Funny

    One thing the article talks about is the various alert levels assigned to objects in that "pizza box" possessing a non-zero probability of collision with the ISS.

    Yellow: greater than 1 in 100,000
    Red: greater than 1 in 10,000
    Brown: greater than 1 in 2

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    1. Re:Collision probability threshold levels by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 3, Funny

      Brown: greater than 1 in 2

      Brown? Seems a strange colour to choose for impending... oh, got it.

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  4. Re:Conjunctivitis by aurispector · · Score: 2

    ...and here is a perfect example of why Slashdot is a moribund husk of it's former self.

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  5. Re:surprisingly complex by Bazman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah, I mean it's not not rocket science is it?