NASA astronauts by accident dropped their toolbox throughout a stroll across the International Space Station - and the floating package could possibly be seen from Earth.

Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara spent six hours and 42 minutes exterior the ISS as they carried out upkeep work.

But a satchel-sized bag floated away and is now orbiting the Earth, a number of minutes forward of the house station.

It was even captured on digital camera by the pair's Japanese colleague Satoshi Furukawa, who by accident photographed the bag whereas taking a shot of Mount Fuji.

NASA mentioned the instruments weren't wanted for the rest of the spacewalk.

Mission Control analysed the bag's trajectory and decided the chance of recontacting the station was low, and that the onboard crew and house station have been secure.

The bag has been labeled as house junk and is predicted to re-enter the Earth's orbit within the coming months, however will probably fritter away because it does so.

EarthSky mentioned some folks ought to be capable of see it floating round with only a pair of binoculars.

"It's surprisingly bright (for a tool bag), shining just below the limit of visibility to the unaided eye," its web site mentioned.

There are believed to be round 100,000 objects of orbital particles at the moment circling the earth.

This is not the primary time an astronaut has misplaced a toolbox - in November 2008, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper was performing an identical restore when the identical factor occurred.

In 2006, spacewalker Piers Sellers sheepishly reported that he misplaced a spatula.

And in 1965, the primary American spacewalker, Ed White, misplaced a spare glove when he went exterior for the primary time.