Debris Forces Space Station Astronauts To Take Shelter

The International Space Station and the docked space shuttle "Endeavour" in May 2011

A discarded chunk of a Russian rocket missed the International Space Station early on March 24.

However, it came close enough to force the station's multinational crew of astronauts -- two Americans, three Russians, and a Dutchman -- to seek shelter in escape capsules.

NASA says the space junk was barely close enough to be a threat.

This is the third time in 12 years that astronauts have had to seek shelter from space junk.

Based on reporting by AP