[meteorite-list] Meteorite makes hole in Space Station

[Darren Garrison]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21863854-1702,00.html

A MINI-METEORITE has left a bullet-sized hole in a module of the International
Space Station (ISS), but the three-person US-Russian team of astronauts inside
are not in danger, a Russian official said today.
The puncture, in an outer pumping component on the module, was detected in the
Russia "Zaria" module of the station during a spacewalk by the two Russian
cosmonauts on board, the spokesman for the Russian space agency, Vladimir
Solovyev, said.

It was the first time a meteorite hole had been found on a module of the ISS.
Several holes have been observed on the big solar panels that spread out from
the orbiter. 

Mr Solovyev said the module itself was not punctured. Photos of the hole had
been sent back to Earth for study. 

The Russians, Fyodor Yurchikin and Oleg Kotov, who made their six-hour space
walk today, are joined on the ISS by a US astronaut, Sunita Williams. 

Space debris, either natural or from parts of rockets and satellites, represent
a serious danger to the ISS and its occupants.