Space debris: assessing the risk


Hubble damage
 
Front view of penetration of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) solar array. Clear hole size: 2.5 mm. The HST solar array was retrieved in March 2002 after 8.25 years in space.

Deadly objects in 1- to 10-cm range
 
HVI
 
This image shows the results of a lab test impact between a small sphere of aluminum travelling at approximately 6.8 km per sec and a block of aluminum 18 cm thick. This test simulates what can happen when a small space debris object hits a spacecraft.

Al sphere diameter: 1.2-cm
Al sphere mass: about 1.7 g
Impact crater diameter: 9.0 cm
Impact crater depth: 5.3 cm

In such an impact, the pressure and temperature can exceed those found at the centre of the Earth e.g. greater than 365 GPa and more than 6,000 K.



Release date: 19 February 2009