[meteorite-list] [Fwd: Re: Will space cities get pelted ?]

From: Walter Branch <branchw_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:01:36 2004
Message-ID: <004501c21ed9$7b908300$14bc5341_at_cc516468a>

Hi John, Bernd, and List,

Any satellite that has stayed up for any amount of time has been hit by
meteroids, but fortunately, MOST "impact craters" are microscopic and
produce little or no damage. Same is true for space shuttle. Have you ever
seen the photo of the front windshield of the shuttle that shows the crater
produced by a fleck of paint?

NASA has actually launched some unmanned craft to specifically look at
meteroid impact in low earth orbit. One of the earliest launches, as I
recall, was Pegasus, which was launched on February 16, 1965. The purpose
of the mission was to explore how serious a hazard incoming meteoroids were
to the early manned spaceflights. Meteoroids impacted 96 foot long wings on
the craft and were recorded. NASA concluded that impacts do occur, but
(obviously) were a very low threat to manned spaceflight.

Hope this helps.

-Walter

-----------------------------------------------
Walter Branch, Ph.D.
Branch Meteorites
322 Stephenson Ave., Suite B
Savannah, GA 31405 USA
www.branchmeteorites.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bernd Pauli HD" <bernd.pauli_at_lehrer.uni-karlsruhe.de>
To: "John Reed" <john_at_findalltrades.com>
Cc: "Walter Branch" <branchw_at_bellsouth.net>;
<meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 1:22 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] [Fwd: Re: Will space cities get pelted ?]


> John Reed wrote:
>
> > if a meteor has ever hit a man made object in space ?
>
> Hello John and List,
>
> See O.R. Norton's Cambridge Encyclopedia of Meteorites, pp. 9-10.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Bernd
>
>
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Received on Fri 28 Jun 2002 03:24:52 PM PDT