Source Says ISS Conducted Maneuver to Avoid Fragment of Japan's Rocket Stage
The unknown piece of space debris that the International Space Station (ISS) avoided on Wednesday was in fact a fragment of an exploded stage of Japan's H-2A carrier rocket, a source in the space sphere told Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2020) The unknown piece of space debris that the International Space Station (ISS) avoided on Wednesday was in fact a fragment of an exploded stage of Japan's H-2A carrier rocket, a source in the space sphere told Sputnik.
"This 'stranger' was object 46477, internationally registered as 2018-084CQ.
It is a fragment of the second stage of Japan's H-2A rocket, which exploded in February 2019," the source said.
According to the source, the rocket launched into space six satellites, including Ibuki-2 greenhouse gases observing satellite, back in October 2018.
According to data of the US Air Force, available on space-track.org website, the explosion of the second stage of Japan's rocket had led to the emergence of over 75 pieces of debris in space.