Space Station Forced to Perform Huge Swerve to Avoid Debris From When Russia Blew Up a Satellite

Russia blew up a satellite with a missile last year, causing the International Space Station to have to start its engines for five minutes.

NASA acknowledged the maneuver in a very dry announcement that seemed designed to not inflame tension with Russia, which co-manages the space station.

The fragment could have passed close to the station if the maneuver hadn't been used.

Stirred Up

Russia's anti-satellite missile test blew up an out-of- commission Russian satellite into over 1,500 pieces of space debris.

The crews on board the International Space Station were forced to shelter in their escape vehicles because of the test. Russia admitted that debris from the explosion had forced the station to perform another dodge.

The US government reacted with anger after the blast.

The international community is not going to tolerate this kind of irresponsible behavior, according to the US State Department.

The blast could endanger not only the American and international partner astronauts on the ISS, but also their own cosmonauts.

Russian astronomer runs over an elderly coworker.