A small, unidentified object moving at speeds reaching thousands of miles per hour recently struck a satellite in orbit around Earth.
NanoAvionics, the organization responsible for the satellite, posted images online revealing the damage inflicted on its MP42 satellite, which was launched in 2022. Designed to accommodate various instruments for different clients, the satellite suffered a hole caused by an object approximately the size of a chickpea. The precise origin of the object is unclear, but the event underscores the mounting dangers faced by spacecraft in Earth’s orbit.
“Whether this impact originated from a micrometeoroid or a fragment of space debris, the collision underscores the necessity for responsible space operations in orbit and prompts us to consider satellite durability against such incidents,” the company [shared online](https://nanoavionics.com/blog/nanoavionics-mp42-satellite-survives-impact-with-object-in-orbit/).
Natural collisions from micrometeoroids — small asteroid fragments — are unavoidable within our solar system; however, both governmental space agencies and private entities are increasingly alarmed by the escalating issue of human-created space debris. This debris poses a severe risk to satellites and other spacecraft, potentially resulting in a cascade of collisions termed the Kessler effect. This occurrence could lead to a continually growing quantity of debris in orbit, complicating space operations further. ([Mashable previously discussed](https://mashable.com/article/starlink-spacex-satellites-orbital-debris) this risk with Don Kessler, a former senior NASA scientist.)
Fortunately, the impact on the MP42 satellite did not exacerbate the space debris issue, although it did result in a visible hole in one of its solar panels.
*In the bottom left corner, a zoomed-in view illustrates the six-millimeter (quarter-inch) hole created by the recent impact.*
*Credit: Kongsberg NanoAvionics*
NanoAvionics has aligned itself with the European Space Agency’s Zero Debris Charter, an initiative aimed at significantly curtailing the generation of new space debris by 2030. Even minuscule objects in space can inflict substantial damage. “A collision with a 1cm particle traveling at 10 km/s (of which there are around a million in orbit) releases the same energy as a small car colliding at 40 km/h,” the agency noted.
“By participating in this initiative, we’re helping to guarantee that NanoAvionics’ satellites and those of our clients function responsibly and contribute to a safer future in space,” the company stated.
Responsible space operations entail ensuring that defunct spacecraft safely re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, where they largely disintegrate, and creating satellites that don’t emit unnecessary debris, like lens caps or rocket remnants. It also necessitates careful surveillance for possible collisions — for instance, the [International Space Station](https://mashable.com/article/nasa-space-station-iss-avoid-debris) frequently has to maneuver to evade debris — and discouraging the [reckless destruction of spacecraft](https://mashable.com/article/space-debris-blown-up-satellite).
Presently, low Earth orbit (LEO), the area of space closest to our planet, is cluttered with unregulated debris. NASA has characterized LEO as a “space junkyard,” explaining that “there are millions of pieces of space junk flying in LEO. The majority of orbital debris consists of human-made objects, such as fragments of spacecraft, tiny paint flecks from a spacecraft, remnants of rockets, non-functional satellites, or debris from explosions of objects in orbit hurtling through space at high velocities.”