Xref: utzoo sci.space:8256 sci.space.shuttle:1971
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ncrlnk!ncrcae!hubcap!gatech!rutgers!bellcore!ka9q.bellcore.com!karn
From: karn@ka9q.bellcore.com (Phil Karn)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Stopping Space and Light Pollution.
Message-ID: <11817@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Date: 16 Nov 88 23:24:47 GMT
References: <809@cmx.npac.syr.edu> <1068@esunix.UUCP> <1988Nov11.213348.27877@utzoo.uucp>
Sender: news@bellcore.bellcore.com
Reply-To: karn@ka9q.bellcore.com.UUCP (Phil Karn)
Organization: Home for Burned-out Hackers
Lines: 14


Henry is correct about hypervelocity impacts. SDI PR stun...um, er, "tests"
have demonstrated what happens when two extremely fast-moving objects
collide.  The shock of initial impact fragments each object, and the
resulting bits of debris fly past each other with very little exchange of
momentum.  The result is a pair of debris clouds moving away from each
other, the center of gravity of each having almost the same velocity as the
intact objects did before the collision.

Unless you can build your debris catcher from material that can actually
STOP objects moving at relative velocities many times that of a rifle
bullet, you won't be able to clean up much of the orbital debris.

Phil