tragedy has happen upon . A micrometeroid has hit the International Space Station ( ISS ) , and the air inwardly has begun to hasten out of the trap into the vacuum cleaner of space . But in a matter of second , before the station is   destroyed , the hole seals itself and keeps the ISS and its crew intact .

This is a future condom scenario that could be possible thanks to a remarkable new piece of music ofresearchfrom scientists at the University of Michigan and NASA , publish in the journalACS Macro Letters . They have developed a fabric that , when punctured , can " fix "   itself and temporarily block air rushing out . It is designed for manipulation on a ballistic capsule , consecrate cosmonaut prison term to fix the hole properly before things escalate .

The self - bring around fabric is basically a responsive liquid between two layers of a upstanding polymer . In the enquiry , a fastball from a rifle was charge into the material . This queer the liquid inside to air in the environs , cause it to solidify . " Within seconds of issue forth into liaison with the atmosphere , it goes from a liquid state to a solid , " lead author Scott Zavada from the University of Michigan narrate IFLScience . In the case of the ISS , it would be the escaping atmosphere of the place that seals the kettle of fish .

Co - writer Timothy Scott , also from the University of Michigan , told IFLScience that the material would n’t be used as a morphologic factor alone , but rather in tandem bicycle with other materials . " The intent is really to plug [ the muddle ] very quickly , " he said .

It ’s not just intended for the ISS : other space vehicle , aircraft , fuel tanks , or even habitats on the Moon or Mars   could make economic consumption of the fabric . And NASA is clearly concerned   as it fund this research , and more work is upcoming to further test its lotion .

One other interesting lineament of the textile is that it work as destine even when it is slender ; in fact , the thin the better , in ordination to keep open on weight unit . In this research , the panels were one millimetre thick , but it could be produced on the order of tens to hundreds of microns thin .

you’re able to hold in out the telecasting of the stuff in action below .