Space Debris Could Be Life-Threatening For People On Space Station - Energia Research

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th February, 2020) Cosmonauts working on the International Space Station (ISS) could be injured or even die from oxygen deprivation when space debris causes severe damage to the station, specialists from the S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia have concluded.

"An analysis of calculation results showed that the probability of a catastrophic outcome from a collision [with space debris], accompanied by crew loss and/or loss of the station, is 13.3 percent," an article published in the Energia Space Engineering and Technology journal says.

According to Energia specialists, the probability of crew loss due to oxygen deprivation following severe damage of the station by space debris is 3.8 percent. The probability of crew injury is 4.2 percent.

In over 86 percent of cases when the space station is damaged by space debris, no catastrophic outcomes are expected, according to Energia.

Space debris is a serious problem for astronauts and Russian cosmonauts working on the ISS. The station often has to dodge the debris and astronauts regularly check for any microdamage.