Russia\'s mission control set to raise ISS orbit by 3.2 km

The orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) will be raised on Wednesday by 3.2 km about (2 miles) to 390 km about (242 miles), a spokesman for Russia''s Mission Control said. He said that the orbit''s correction will be carried out with the use of thrusters of Russia''s Zvezda module, according to Russian (RIA Novosti) News Agency. The thrusters will be switched on for 114 seconds to boost the station. The operation to raise the orbit is necessary to ensure favorable conditions for the docking of Russia''s Progress M-13M space freighter and the Soyuz TMA-22 piloted spacecraft with the orbital station. Corrections to the space station''s orbit are conducted periodically to compensate for Earth''s gravity, to safeguard successful dockings and landings of spacecraft, and to avoid potential collisions with space debris.