
Partial transcript of a recent interview with ex-astronaut Sidney Gutierrez, veteran of two shuttle missions and leading advocate of a shuttle escape system (see "
Sidney Gutierrez: On an earlier flight a window was hit by a little piece of something, and they concluded afterwards it was a piece of chicken the Russians had ejected and was just floating around in space.
Popular Science: How'd they know that it was chicken?
SG: [NASA scientists] got the material and did an analysis on it.
PS: This was on the shuttle?
SG: It was the window on the shuttle. The window had a little gouge on it and they concluded it was made by the piece of chicken. Usually [when something hits], it is a little thing like a piece of paint or something like that.
PS: How did you know the chicken was from the Russians?
SG: Because we don't dump anything up there. They used to—I don't think they do anymore—but they used
to eject their trash into space, and eventually it would deorbit.
PS: Is there more lore about people getting whacked by strange things up in space?
SG: A chicken and a piece of paint, those are the best stories I know of.

Every year, PopSci honors the top 100 innovations in categories such as consumer products, medical tech and engineering.
Learn more and submit your product or technology today at popsci.com/enter.
Share your photos in the Pop Sci pool at www.flickr.com!
Will the Rocket Racing League hold its first race before the end of 2008?
Will EADS start construction on a tourist rocket by December 31, 2008?

