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               'Space Debris' Hits Orbiting Station, Chips Window

   by VOA News

   A piece of "space debris" that hit the International Space Station
   chipped the outer layer of a window in the spacecraft's observation
   module.

   British astronaut Tim Peake posted a picture on Twitter Friday showing
   the damage, a chip about 7 millimeters in diameter that hit one of the
   seven windows in the "cupola" observation area.

   "Often asked if @Space_Station is hit by space debris. Yes - this chip
   is in a Cupola window," he tweeted.

   Whatever chipped the window apparently was quite small, but the
   European Space Agency said a larger object would pose a "serious
   threat" to the station's safety.

   ''The observation area windows give astronauts a panoramic view of the
   station's exterior, and are used during docking, spacewalks and other
   delicate maneuvers. They include the largest panes of glass ever
   installed in a spacecraft, measuring 80 centimeters.

   According to NASA, space station windows are comprised of four panes of
   glass, each between 1.2 and 3.2 centimeters thick. Should a piece of
   debris break through the windows, NASA said aluminum shutters should
   snap into place to protect the occupants.

   ''

   "An object up to 1 cm in size could disable an instrument or a critical
   flight system on a satellite," ESA said in a news release.

   "Anything above 1 cm could penetrate the shields of the station's crew
   modules, and anything larger than 10 cm could shatter a satellite or
   spacecraft into pieces."
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/mht-space-debris-hits-international-s
   pace-station-tim-peake/3328970.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/mht-space-debris-hits-international-space-station-tim-peake/3328970.html