<p>It has a very, very low chance.</p>

<p>However, if the asteroid is larger as some centimeters, it will irrecoverable destruct the satellite.</p>

<p>Typically, mm sized space trash can damage a satellite already, although the tipical impact velocities are in the order of some $\frac{km}{s}$. As a comparision, cannon balls are flying typically with lesser speed as $1 \frac{km}{s} {}^*$.</p>

<p>A collision with an asteroid on a solar orbit would have the impact speed in the order of some tens of $\frac{km}{s}^{**}$.</p>

<p>A direct collision with an asteroid larger as the satellite itself would have enough energy to vaporize the satellite. We, from the Earth, would see a space explosion.</p>

<p>*: Orbital velocity on low earth orbit is $7.8 \frac{km}{s}$, but most satellites are flying <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrograde_and_prograde_motion" rel="nofollow noreferrer">prograde</a> with a not very high <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_inclination" rel="nofollow noreferrer">inclination</a>. Thus, the we can estimate their "typical" relative collision velocity in the order of some $\frac{km}{s}$.</p>

<p>**: The configuration is similar in heliocentris orbits, but the velocities are higher with an order.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-16T14:57:55.713Z
Relative velocity,not absolute speed, is what matters.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-16T15:20:39.050Z
@CarlWitthoft Okay, I tried to improve the post. How about now?
peterh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-15T17:22:00.453Z
2017-10-16T15:20:09.223Z
2017-10-16T15:20:09.223Z
peterh
<p>There's an asteroid (2012 TC4) currently in the news, due to pass close to the earth, at around 42000 km (26000 miles), within the moons orbit and just above comsat altitude. It's believed to be in the 15-30m size range.
(see <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41583704" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41583704</a> though the link may not stay around long).</p>

<p>For comparison (from the link above),</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>When a 20m-wide asteroid exploded over Chelyabinsk in central Russia in 2013, it hit the atmosphere with energy estimated to be equivalent to 500,000 tonnes of TNT, causing a shockwave that damaged buildings and injured more than a thousand people.  [Source: BBC]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So if something that size hit a space station, you're not going to have much station left. Even a fairly small rock would do a lot of damage. Fortunately, the chance of being hit by something of significant size is very low, and a lot of the junk floating around (like the stuff that makes meteor showers) are dust particle sized lumps of cometary material that might damage but not destroy a station. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-16T14:57:27.490Z
Rather a lot of the Chelyabinsk energy came from dropping down the gravity well.  The question is really one of relative velocities.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-15T19:15:51.087Z
2017-10-15T19:15:51.087Z
JerryTheC
<p>What are the consequences going to be if an asteroid or a celestial body collides with a space station rotating on Earth orbit?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-15T16:51:58.637Z
Probably complete destruction of the satellite. Have you done your own research? Have you read [ask]?
J. Chomel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-15T17:10:41.833Z
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is a space exploration question, although you should do some research first... What happens when a rock travelling at 10km/s hits anything?
James K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-16T13:30:30.790Z
Depends on asteroid structure. Either an asteroid, and pieces of space station, or pieces of asteroid and pieces of space station. Collision is likely to occur at about 20 km/sec, so quite destructive.
Wayfaring Stranger
<asteroids><space>
What would be the result if an asteroid collides with a space station?
merekes
# What would be the result if an asteroid collides with a space station?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-10-15)

What are the consequences going to be if an asteroid or a celestial body collides with a space station rotating on Earth orbit?

**Tags:** asteroids, space
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Probably complete destruction of the satellite. Have you done your own research? Have you read [ask]?  
> **username_2**: I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is a space exploration question, although you should do some research first... What happens when a rock travelling at 10km/s hits anything?  
> **username_3**: Depends on asteroid structure. Either an asteroid, and pieces of space station, or pieces of asteroid and pieces of space station. Collision is likely to occur at about 20 km/sec, so quite destructive.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-10-15. Score: 1

It has a very, very low chance.

However, if the asteroid is larger as some centimeters, it will irrecoverable destruct the satellite.

Typically, mm sized space trash can damage a satellite already, although the tipical impact velocities are in the order of some $\frac{km}{s}$. As a comparision, cannon balls are flying typically with lesser speed as $1 \frac{km}{s} {}^\*$.

A collision with an asteroid on a solar orbit would have the impact speed in the order of some tens of $\frac{km}{s}^{\*\*}$.

A direct collision with an asteroid larger as the satellite itself would have enough energy to vaporize the satellite. We, from the Earth, would see a space explosion.

\*: Orbital velocity on low earth orbit is $7.8 \frac{km}{s}$, but most satellites are flying [prograde](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrograde_and_prograde_motion) with a not very high [inclination](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_inclination). Thus, the we can estimate their "typical" relative collision velocity in the order of some $\frac{km}{s}$.

\*\*: The configuration is similar in heliocentris orbits, but the velocities are higher with an order.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Relative velocity,not absolute speed, is what matters.  
> **username_4**: @CarlWitthoft Okay, I tried to improve the post. How about now?  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2017-10-15. Score: -1

There's an asteroid (2012 TC4) currently in the news, due to pass close to the earth, at around 42000 km (26000 miles), within the moons orbit and just above comsat altitude. It's believed to be in the 15-30m size range.
(see <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41583704> though the link may not stay around long).

For comparison (from the link above),

> When a 20m-wide asteroid exploded over Chelyabinsk in central Russia in 2013, it hit the atmosphere with energy estimated to be equivalent to 500,000 tonnes of TNT, causing a shockwave that damaged buildings and injured more than a thousand people. [Source: BBC]

So if something that size hit a space station, you're not going to have much station left. Even a fairly small rock would do a lot of damage. Fortunately, the chance of being hit by something of significant size is very low, and a lot of the junk floating around (like the stuff that makes meteor showers) are dust particle sized lumps of cometary material that might damage but not destroy a station.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Rather a lot of the Chelyabinsk energy came from dropping down the gravity well.  The question is really one of relative velocities.  

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