NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • SLS/Orion
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Russian
      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      Featured

      Iran improving its rockets ten years after its…

      February 2, 2019

      Featured

      UK space sector on an upward trajectory after…

      January 31, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 11 launches with four satellites

      January 21, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 3B lofts Chinasat-2D

      January 10, 2019

      Chinese

      China lands Chang’e-4 mission on the far side…

      January 3, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 2D concludes 2018 campaign with Hongyan-1…

      December 29, 2018

      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      European

      Hera adds objectives to planetary defense test mission

      January 7, 2019

      European

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz 2-1A launches Kanopus-V pair and additional payloads

      December 26, 2018

      Russian

      Proton-M successfully launches with Blagovest No.13L

      December 20, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz MS-09 lands after unprecedented on-orbit repairs, inspections

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

  • Other
    • All Shuttle Uncrewed
      Featured

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Commercial

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Commercial

      Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares…

      February 7, 2019

      Featured

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Shuttle

      Saving Hubble: Endeavour’s ambitious mission to rescue the…

      December 13, 2018

      Shuttle

      Two NASA space telescopes returning to work following…

      October 23, 2018

      Shuttle

      Thirty years after Return To Flight from Challenger,…

      September 28, 2018

      Shuttle

      Commercial Crew assignments; NASA nears goal of human…

      August 3, 2018

      Uncrewed

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Uncrewed

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Uncrewed

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Uncrewed

      As new lunar race heats up, the Moon…

      February 1, 2019

Popular
NASA set to purchase more Soyuz seats to...
Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes...
NASA Stennis restarts RS-25 testing after December abort
International partners making progress on ISS funeral plans
Spaceflight notes expanding and evolving offerings as it...
NASA working to minimize shutdown impact to Springtime...
NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,...
Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares...
After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire
As Falcon Heavy celebrates anniversary, SpaceX manifest aligns

NASASpaceFlight.com

  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • SLS/Orion
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Russian
      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      Featured

      Iran improving its rockets ten years after its…

      February 2, 2019

      Featured

      UK space sector on an upward trajectory after…

      January 31, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 11 launches with four satellites

      January 21, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 3B lofts Chinasat-2D

      January 10, 2019

      Chinese

      China lands Chang’e-4 mission on the far side…

      January 3, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 2D concludes 2018 campaign with Hongyan-1…

      December 29, 2018

      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      European

      Hera adds objectives to planetary defense test mission

      January 7, 2019

      European

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz 2-1A launches Kanopus-V pair and additional payloads

      December 26, 2018

      Russian

      Proton-M successfully launches with Blagovest No.13L

      December 20, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz MS-09 lands after unprecedented on-orbit repairs, inspections

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

  • Other
    • All Shuttle Uncrewed
      Featured

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Commercial

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Commercial

      Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares…

      February 7, 2019

      Featured

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Shuttle

      Saving Hubble: Endeavour’s ambitious mission to rescue the…

      December 13, 2018

      Shuttle

      Two NASA space telescopes returning to work following…

      October 23, 2018

      Shuttle

      Thirty years after Return To Flight from Challenger,…

      September 28, 2018

      Shuttle

      Commercial Crew assignments; NASA nears goal of human…

      August 3, 2018

      Uncrewed

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Uncrewed

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Uncrewed

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Uncrewed

      As new lunar race heats up, the Moon…

      February 1, 2019

ATV-5 helps ISS dodge Chinese space debris

written by Chris Bergin November 13, 2014

Europe’s ATV-5 cargo ship helped ‘shove’ the International Space Station (ISS) out of the path of a piece of space debris this week. The Pre-Determined Debris Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM) was required after a tracked object – possibly a lens cap/cover – from the Chinese spy satellite, Yaogan 12, became a “repeating conjunction concern” for the orbital outpost.

Debris Threats:

The requirement of a Debris Avoidance Maneuver (DAM) is not uncommon.

The ISS – a huge structure – is racing around the planet at 17,500 mph, in an orbit that contains threats that are usually tagged under the MMOD (Micrometeoroid Orbital Debris) designation.

See Also

  • ATV-5 Coverage
  • L2 ATV Section
  • L2 ISS Section
  • Click here to Join L2

The larger pieces of debris – usually originating from expended satellite and rocket hardware – are tracked by Space Command/NORAD, allowing for any threats to spacecraft to be known in advance, providing them a heads up to move into a different path and thus avoid a collision.

Most of the time the threats – known as conjunctions – are evaluated over time and seen to be avoiding the Station. Sometimes they are seen late, with no time to ‘steer’ the ISS out of the debris’ potential track.

One such incident occurred on March 13, 2009 – when a “RED Late Conjunction” threat resulted in NASA’s Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke, Russian Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov, and NASA’s Sandra Magnus being asked to ‘evacuate’ into the “safe haven” of the docked Soyuz, as the ‘25090 PAM-D’ debris closed in on the Station.

Per Flight Rule B4-101, this “late conjunction” call results in the crew being ordered to close the hatches between Station modules and enter the Soyuz vehicles – which serve as lifeboats during their docked stay at the ISS – before TCA (Time of Closest Approach) breaches the 10 minute mark.

2014-11-14 00_01_59-Soyuz TMA-16 launches for journey to ISS – Safe Haven evaluations _ NASASpaceFliThe crew will initiate an emergency departure from the Station if the debris threat realizes itself into an impact and causes a breach of the life support environment.

The 2009 threat, which had the capability of puncturing one of the Station’s modules, was a simple ‘yo weight’, originally part of a Delta PAM-D stage used to launch GPS 37 in 1993.

After a tense wait, the threat passed by the Station without making an impact, allowing for the crew to re-enter the ISS and re-open the hatches to the modules.

2014-11-13 23_45_49-Soyuz TMA-16 launches for journey to ISS – Safe Haven evaluations _ NASASpaceFliDAMs can be conducted by a number of docked vehicles, providing a push to move the Station out of the debris threat’s path. The Space Shuttle providing such a role when required by Station, while the Russian Progress also lends a hand on occasion.

The Station can even conduct DAMs on her own, using the thrusters on the Zvezda module.

However, a docked spacecraft can save the use of the ISS’ propellant reserves, as was the case this week.

ATV-5, the last of Europe’s resupply vehicles to launch to the ISS, has been at the orbital outpost since August.

linktoarticleplease2The vehicle has been assisting the Station with more than just its array of supplies, but also with reboosts and also a PDAM back on October 27. Such requirements are factored into an ATV mission, with a large amount of onboard propellant available.

(ATV-3 Docking Animation created from 70 hi res ATV-3 docking images acquired by L2 – LINK).

This week’s PDAM was more interesting than most, given the debris was identified as from a Chinese spy satellite.

“Pre-Determined Debris Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM): The team performed a Pre-Determined Debris Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM) of 0.5 m/s in order to dodge a repeating conjunction concern with Object 39372 (Yaogan 12 Debris),” noted L2 ISS Status information.

A Y-W SatelliteYaogan-12 was launched back in November, 2011 by a Long March 4B. It is a second generation electro-optical observation satellite equipped with a small angular observation system.

The Chinese media always class this range of satellite as remote sensing birds that are used for “scientific experiments, land survey, crop yield assessment, and disaster monitoring.” However, it is widely known in the West that they are based on the Phoenix Eye-2 satellite platform and used for military purposes.

While the satellite itself was not the debris threat, the early cataloging of the associated debris – known as object #39372/2011-066G, YAOGAN 12 DEB – could be the satellite’s discarded lens cap or cover.

With the Station shoved out of the object’s path, nominal operations are continuing. Also, the timing of the PDAM also killed two birds with one stone – removing the need for a pre-planned reboost, that was also to be conducted by ATV-5.

“The PDAM was completed nominally, and the ISS is back in a nominal Torque Equilibrium Attitude (TEA),” added ISS Status. “Since the PDAM was executed , the reboost that was planned for later is no longer required, and will not be performed.”

(Images: Via ESA, NASA, and L2).

(Click here: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/ – to join L2 and directly support NASASpaceflight.com).

ATVISSMMODYaogan Weixing
1
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
previous article
Rosetta’s Philae completes historic comet landing
next article
Long March 2C conducts surprise Yaogan-23 launch

Related Articles

SpaceX preparing for the crewed Dragon abort tests

January 26, 2015

On Atlantis’ anniversary, USA’s future space fleet closing...

July 21, 2017

Long March 3B/E launches with Chinasat-11

May 1, 2013

By sea, land and space – Busy week...

August 17, 2016

Fiery farewell for Progress as ISS prepares for...

February 2, 2017

Chinese Long March 2F/G launches Shenzhou-9 on historic...

June 16, 2012

Falcon 9 conducts Static Fire test ahead of...

June 23, 2018

OA-7 Cygnus completes End of Mission; OA-8 looks...

June 11, 2017

CRS-6 Dragon successfully completes ISS berthing

April 16, 2015

Russian GLONASS launch spotted by the ISS crew

June 15, 2014

Active Discussions

Loading activity..
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NovaTech
Tweets by NASASpaceflight
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • About Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Advertising Info

©2005-2019 - NASASpaceflight.com

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more