Astronomy
The Dangers of Space Debris for Satellites and Missions
Quick fact
A single 1-centimeter piece of debris can penetrate a satellite's hull and destroy it in a collision at orbital speeds.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a tiny chip of paint—no bigger than a coin—hitting a satellite at 7 times the speed of a bullet. It can disable it forever. How can such a small thing wreak so much havoc?