NASA tracks space junk headed toward space station

More space junk dangers again .
one day their will be a need to " clean up " space around the earth !

HOUSTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - The International Space Station might have to fire its thrusters to avoid a piece of space junk that could pass within two miles (3.2 km) of the orbiting complex and its 13 astronauts, NASA said on Wednesday.

The U.S. space agency is tracking debris from a portion of a European rocket, the Ariane 5, that was launched more than three years ago. The debris could pass close enough to require astronauts to fire thrusters to move the station and shuttle Discovery that is docked there out of the way, NASA officials said at a briefing.

The debris posed no immediate danger to the station or the shuttle, the agency said.

The debris, which is in an oval-shaped orbit that makes it difficult to track, will make its closest approach to the station at 11:06 a.m. EDT (3:06 p.m. GMT) on Friday, NASA said.

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