A small circular nick in an ISS Cupola window measured about 7 millimeters across. Astronaut Tim Peake photographed it in 2016. ESA attributed the chip to tiny debris and listed paint or metal as possibilities; the impactor’s material was not confirmed. Orbital debris can strike at very high relative speeds, but no specific speed is assigned to this particle. Cupola’s layered windows and protective shutters help guard the observation room.
Visuals are original illustrations reconstructing the reported window chip and Cupola setting.
Sources:
- ESA — Cupola impact chip report: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2016/05/Impact_chip
- NASA — Cupola overview: https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/cupola/
- NASA — Orbital debris background: https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/white-sands/micrometeoroids-and-orbital-debris-mmod/
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