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In 2006, a figure was hurled out of the ISS and sent tumbling off into space. Here’s the story of SuitSat-1, the spacesuit repurposed as a satellite

Concern over ESA's handling of the radiation issue caused Michael Perryman, former GAIA project scientist, to resign from the agency in 2008. But GAIA science-team member Lennart Lindegren, an astronomer at Lund Observatory in Sweden, is confident that GAIA's unprecedented accuracy will be feasible. GAIA researchers will continue to perform tests and calibrations until at least 2011, which will include irradiating the CCDs at space-like temperatures. Lindegren admits, however, that they can never be certain of success until the spacecraft is in orbit and starts sending back data.

The problem: Where can servers that store data frequently seen as unsavory be kept? The solution: Hanging from a giant balloon in the sky?

this idea isn't totally practical, since the group has limited resources and an airborne server presents a whole host of problems

ther suggestions included a low-level satellite

Fortunately, as we speak, the very best space engineers are tackling the problem of how to tackle space debris and get it out of the way.