If two pieces of the same metal touch in the vacuum of space, they can permanently fuse together in a process called cold welding.
Without oxygen or contaminants, no protective oxide layer forms on the metal surfaces.
This allows atoms from each piece to bond directly, merging them into a single solid structure.
Also known as vacuum cold welding or solid-state diffusion bonding, the process requires no heat or melting.
This phenomenon creates serious challenges for spacecraft design, especially for moving mechanical components.
