The chip size of about one centimeter was photographed by a British astronaut Tim Peak inside the module “Cupola” of the International space station. As you might guess, this chip is one of the Windows.
Most likely, the cleavage formed as a result of the impact into the glass debris. The cleavage, of course, very small and no danger for laminated glass of the window module is not, however, agree that it is not the most desirable thing I would like to see the human being in orbit.
According to the European space Agency, “skol, most likely, was caused by a splinter from the skin of the module with paint or some metal fragment no bigger than a few thousandths of a millimeter in diameter”.
It is surprising that such tiny particles that most likely we don’t even notice on Earth, can cause such damage at orbital speeds. It is also another demonstration of the fact that mankind should not ignore the problem of space debris, which we ourselves create.
ESA says:
“It is possible to ensure that even tiny particles can cause serious damage. Now imagine what would happen if a piece of debris turned out to be more? Object size up to 1 inch is able to bring out the work of some scientific instrument or a critical part of the navigation system, for example, satellite. Anything more than 1 inch, able to punch through the shields of the residential modules of the Space station. And all that will be more than 10 cm, able to smithereens to destroy a satellite or spacecraft”.
#photo of the day | the Last thing I would like to see in a window of the ISS
Nikolai Khizhnyak