A piffling too close for comfort ? A diminutive space rock , or possibly a composition of space rubble , has rip through the International Space Station ’s solar regalia , narrowly missing the Isaac Hull .
Canadian spaceman Chris Hadfield twirp :
Bullet hole – a small gem from the universe went through our solar array . Glad it missed the hull.pic.twitter.com/iBHFVfp1p8
— Chris Hadfield ( @Cmdr_Hadfield)April 29 , 2013
A close-fitting - up view of the hole :
So just how dangerous was this incident ? Jason Major from Universe Todayexplains :
While likened to a bullet hole , whatever affect the solar panel was really traveling much faster when it come to . Most fastball travel at a velocity of around 1,000 - 2,000 miles per hour ( although usually described in feet per second ) but meteoroids are traveling through space at speeding of well over 25,000 mph — many time quicker than any bullet !
fortuitously the ISS has a multi - superimposed hull consisting of layers of different materials ( count on where the discussion section were built ) , provide protection from micrometeorite impact . If an object were to run into an inhabited plane section of the Station , it would be slowed down enough by the different layers to either not make it to the master Isaac Hull or else but create an audible “ ping . ”
formidable , yes , but at least harmless .
Now , it ’s also quite possible that the little target was space dust . harmonise to terrestrial scientist Jim Scotti , “ It ’s improbable this was do by a shooting star , more potential a small-arm of man - made space dust in low Earth eye socket . ”
Chris HadfieldScienceSpace
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