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I see that this is expected to, as one outcome, help reduce further space junk in orbit. I wonder what impact existing space junk - which is predominately small
by JacobAldridge 16y ago
I see that this is expected to, as one outcome, help reduce further space junk in orbit. I wonder what impact existing space junk - which is predominately small pieces of metal orbiting the earth at speed - would have on the sails?
Without knowing its altitude, even the 70-120 day lifespan makes it a target. I wonder how resistant a 10m^2 piece of thin polymer sheet would be to a lazy 2-inch screw hurtling into it?
- dandelany 16y ago> I wonder how resistant a 10m^2 piece of thin polymer sheet would be to a lazy 2-inch screw hurtling into it? Presumably, not resistant at all... Even the heavy shielding on the ISS can only protect from debris less than 1cm in diameter. The question is, would such a debris hit shred the sail, or would it punch a neat hole, leaving it mostly intact?
- JacobAldridge 16y agoYes, 'not' is how I would have described the resistance. As long as it were a fairly direct hit, I imagine a neat hole would be most likely (though these could add up fairly quickly over time).