Satellite, Space Junk In Orbital ‘Near Miss’

The environmental research satellite trailing the space shuttle Discovery survived a “near miss” with a 500-pound chunk of aging rocket debris, NASA said Tuesday.

The incident, which occurred late Monday night, did not require Discovery commander Curt Brown and his crew to take evasive maneuvers.

The $73 million, German-built satellite, which is not equipped with powerful steering jets like those on the shuttle, was undisturbed as the debris passed within 1.6 miles.

The debris was identified as a spent rocket motor from a February 1984 space shuttle mission in which a pair of communications satellites were launched.