scope:

Abstract:

Detailed analysis of spacecraft telemetry shows that Chandra was likely impacted by a micrometeoroid on 15 November 2003. Analysis of subsystem telemetry showed no ill effects on the primary units. A thorough analysis of the impact area showed that all critical spacecraft units were protected from micrometeoroid impacts or were not in the possible impact region. A search for previous impact type events did return one other such event. This second event was smaller than the event of 2003:319 and is at the limit of our detection capabilities. Like the impact of 2003:319, Chandra appears to have suffered no ill effects due to this second detected potential impact.