Space debris caused damage to the ISS - Samara today

Space debris caused damage to the ISS

In one of the solar panels on the International Space Station (ISS) astronauts recently discovered a “bullet” hole. As experts suggest, in the battery could get a small piece of space debris orbiting the Earth which has accumulated a lot.

Paul Fleet | Shutterstock.com

the first time about the incident said Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. He suggested that the battery could punch a small meteoroid, flown in from outer space.

But experts who have studied the pictures of the damaged battery, claim that the version of the fragment of space debris is more likely. However, they stressed that the incident could have far more serious consequences if debris hit the solar body.

According to rough estimates of scientists, now in Earth orbit has accumulated more than 30,000 fragments of space debris (fragments of missiles, tanks and even entire satellites), whose size is more than 10 centimeters in diameter, as well as tens of thousands of smaller objects.

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