# How long until the ISS falls out of the sky?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-the-iss-falls-out-of-the-sky/67562>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 4, 2001, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-the-iss-falls-out-of-the-sky/67562 "2001-06-04T19:31:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-the-iss-falls-out-of-the-sky/67562/1 "2001-06-04T19:31:42Z")

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How well has NASA thought through the protection for the International Space Station with regards orbiting debris. It was moved to a higher orbit a while ago but is it now wholly invunerable from any disasterous collisions with nuts and bolts etc? Or is it just a matter of time before it decompresses horribly bring a couple of astronauts with it? Orbiting the earth doesn’t seem to be the best place for a person to be these days.

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**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-the-iss-falls-out-of-the-sky/67562/2 "2001-06-04T20:17:25Z")

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Plug “ISS orbital debris” into Google and hit the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button to find NASA’s  
[Frequently Asked Questions About Orbital Debris](http://www.orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/faq/faq.html) page:

> [@](#):
>
> \*\*10). How will the International Space Station be protected against orbital debris? \*\*  
> The International Space Station (ISS) will be the most heavily shielded spacecraft every flown. Critical components, e.g., habitable compartments and high press tanks, will normally be able to withstand the impact of debris as large as 1 cm in diameter. ISS will also have the capability of maneuvering to avoid tracked objects. The risk of a critical ISS component being struck by debris 1-10 cm in diameter is slight and ways to reduce this risk are being investigated.

Also, the ISS will not fall out of the sky if it gets hit by orbital debris.

I hope this puts your mind at ease.