Astronaut shares scary space moment with royalty

Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen recounted a terrifying incident to King Frederik and Queen Mary where two satellites were at risk of colliding near the ISS, potentially affecting the station. During a space debate at Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Mogensen, along with fellow astronauts Christer Fuglesang and Marcus Wandt, discussed the scariest moment of his six-month space mission—when the two satellites passed just six meters apart, risking a debris cloud in the ISS’s path. The debris issue led to discussions on future space debris removal technology. Fortunately, the collision did not occur. Mogensen recently returned from the ISS, having conducted experiments for researchers and companies. The royal visit focused on Danish-Swedish technological collaboration in space research. King Frederik is known for his interest in space, and Mogensen’s space journey included a Christmas spent without family but with a festive call to the king.