Space junk collided with a robotic arm on the ISS causing a hole

Space junk is becoming a large problem as many companies continue to launch rockets and satellites into the atmosphere.

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The problem of space junk, or space debris, was brought up by Donald Kessler, a retired NASA senior scientist for orbital debris research, who said that the current state of space junk has reached a "tipping point". Now, a new report has come out about the International Space Station (ISS) experiencing a collision with space junk that has now caused a hole.

Operators noticed a hole in the ISS's Canadarm2 on May 12. The robotic arm has been in service since 2001, and according to Canadian Space Agency (CSA), who provided the ISS with the robotic arm, the hole isn't going to impact the Canadarm2's responsibilities in maintaining the ISS. The CSA has said that the hole is a "lucky strike" considering that the robotic arm has a diameter of just 14 inches.

CSA said in the blog post, "Results of the ongoing analysis indicate that the arm's performance remains unaffected. The damage is limited to a small section of the arm boom and thermal blanket".

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