Space Junk Threat

For the third time in 12 years, the ISS crew had to retreat to their Soyuz capsules in the face of a space junk threat. This time, the threat was a piece of a Russian rocket that NASA said barely got close enough to be classified a threat.

Had a hit been imminent, the six crew members would have undocked from ISS and returned to Earth.

As an aside, FOXNews, at least, has consistently referred to the rocket piece "floating" past ISS. That's a gentle verb which paints a mild picture. In fact, of course, everything in Earth orbit is moving at incredible speed, which means that if this piece, or anything else of any mass, did hit ISS, it would pack quite a punch. Likely, there'd be nothing gentle about it.