We have three people on the station. So there is, roughly speaking, probably a 30 to 1 chance that passing space debris would hit have hitable parts of the station, not the lander. (Or do they reorient the ISS to try to keep the lander safe. What are the odds that the lander could still be hit?

But more importantly. Wouldn’t it be better to leave one astronaut in the station and send two to the capsule?

Indeed. I suspect If all modules were sealed, it might be better to spread the space explorers to the various sections with food, water, (Spacesuits?) in order to ensure a better survival chance of all?

These are questions from someone who hasn’t done the math and (perhaps most stupidly) doesn’t know the orientation of the craft at any given time.

But to put all your eggs in one basket. Why does NASA do that?

Lasers powered how?

Star wars x-ray lasers were powered by nuclear explosions. According to Wikipedia the tests were inconclusive.

[But also, nations would take a dim view of launching nuclear material, as well as having nuclear devices in orbit.]

whereas I would be very busy screaming and wetting myself

Well, that’s one of the great things about working in a space suit – you can wet yourself and nobody notices.

Lasers powered how? Also wouldn’t you get the same problems that you encounter with meteors, as in the mass is still moving towards you at a really unpleasant rate of knots? Not to mention that there might be some protest at turning the ISS into the ultimate satellite killer.

“Small but nonzero chance “? As opposed to “small but zero chance”?

I think he means “a small chance.” There’s no “…but x” qualification needed.

Has the ISS crew ever gotten this close to evac in response to space junk in the past?

The BBC article claims:

It is unclear how many times crew members had been told to enter the Soyuz, but officials said this was “not the first” occasion. Flight controllers have moved the ISS eight times over the past ten years in order to avoid debris. [My bold.]

I believe I read that it happened last in December, but I can’t seem to find it now.

[OB BA pun:]

Update:

Considering it happened over 100 km up, shouldn’t that be an up²date?

My guess is that they’ve been tracking it since it became space debris.

I possibly may have just soiled myself laughing. Classic!

It’s a good thing I wasn’t an ISS crew member today — I would have just grabbed the keys to the Soyuz, and said “I’m outta here!!” instead of waiting for any Houstonian parental permission.

“Top 10 Things to Not Say During Your Astronaut Interview”

#1 has to be Jack Handy’s quote:

“Fear can sometimes be a useful emotion. For instance, let’s say you’re an astronaut on the moon and you fear that your partner has been turned into Dracula. The next time he goes out for the moon pieces, wham!, you just slam the door behind him and blast off. He might call you on the radio and say he’s not Dracula, but you just say, ‘Think again, bat man.’”

Funny! I believe that’s listed under “Top 10 Things to Not Say During Your Astronaut Interview”. It comes right after “I am afraid of rockets”.

The International Space Station was evacuated today for about ten minutes, because of the threat posed by orbiting space debris.
…

I think “small but finite” simply means “not infinitely small” which, I guess, means “not zero”

Though I never did well in math, so somebody please correct me if I’m wrong.

Delved much in quantum mechanics?

pi / 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000