Space Shuttle Emergency?

[thatone1967]

Just heard something about the space shuttle crew being evacuated to lifeboats after a collision with space junk? Anyone heard anything?

[KrazyIvan]

CAnt see anything on the news sites.....you sure you werent watching Spaceballs?

[tank slapper]

Considering that there is no shuttle mission in space at the moment, I would hazard a guess that it is false.

The final launch is intended for 8th July.

The shuttle also doesn't have lifeboats. Unless it happens to be docked with ISS then the crew would be in trouble if it were hit by debris.

[Closet Roy]

BBC News tweet: "Six-member crew of International Space Station evacuate into rescue vehicles after spotting fast-approaching 'space junk', from AFP"

[tank slapper]

That would make a more sense. There is nothing on the NASA website about it though. It wouldn't be the first time that it has happened.

[Eric Mc]

Yep - happened before. It's a precaution they take if some space debris is plotted being within a set number of miles of the ISS(I think).

Full details here if anyone is interested in the reality - which is far less exciting than a "shock horror"! news headline.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/110628iss...

[thatone1967]

That's slightly better news then.

[Vipers]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/debris-forces-astronauts-...

Same thing