Some of Our Sources
View All Sources
June 20, 2022 03:00 pm
Original Link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/20/23168039/micrometeoroid-space-dust-spacecraft-impact-debris-jwst
Why getting hit by space dust is an unavoidable aspect of space travel
On June 8th, NASA revealed that its new powerful space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, is now sporting a small dimple in one of its primary mirrors after getting pelted by a larger-than-expected micrometeoroid out in deep space. The news came as a bit of a shock since the impact happened just five months into the telescope’s space tenure — but such strikes are simply an inevitable aspect of space travel, and more thwacks are certainly on their way.
Despite what its name implies, space isn’t exactly empty. Within our Solar System, tiny bits of space dust are zooming through the regions between our planets at whopping speeds that can reach up to tens of thousands of miles per hour. These micrometeoroids, no larger than a grain...
Original Link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/20/23168039/micrometeoroid-space-dust-spacecraft-impact-debris-jwst
Share this article:
Tweet
View Full Article
The Verge
The Verge is an ambitious multimedia effort founded in 2011More About this Source Visit The Verge