TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
Astronauts aboard the international space station took refuge inside their Russian-built Soyuz capsule on Thursday when a potentially life-threatening piece of space debris passed too close to the space outpost.
24 feet
Soyuz capsule
Up to three crew members of the Space Station can launch and return to Earth aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. At least one Soyuz is always docked to the station, generally serving as a lifeboat.
Source: NASA A. CUADRA : C H R O N I C L E