micrometeoroids
MY-kroh-MEE-tee-uh-roydz
Definition
Tiny particles of solid matter, typically ranging from dust to sand-sized grains, that travel through space at high speeds.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'mikros' (small) and 'meteōros' (raised high in the air), combined with 'eidos' (form or shape). The term was coined in the mid-20th century to describe the microscopic debris encountered during space flight.
In the news
In this article, micrometeoroids are discussed as a potential engineering hazard for spacecraft, as these small particles represent a real, measurable risk that persists even though large asteroid collisions are effectively impossible.
The asteroid belt looks dense in every diagram ever printed in a textbook, but every spacecraft sent through it since 1972 has crossed without hitting a single asteroid — because the real belt is 99.9% empty space, spread across a region larger than Earth's ent
Read the full article ↗Space Daily