European Satellite Hit by Space Particle

European Space Agency (ESA) engineers reported today (Aug. 31) that a solar panel on the Copernicus Sentinel-1A satellite was hit by a millimeter-size particle in orbit on Aug. 23. The strike produced a sudden small power reduction and slight changes in the orientation and the orbit of the satellite. "Following a preliminary investigation, the operations team at ESA's control center in Darmstadt, Germany suspected a possible impact by space debris or micrometeoroid on the solar wing," according to an ESA statement. More

(Source: Space.com - Sep 1)