Newswise — What would happen if the International Space Station were to be hit by a piece of space debris even as small as one-third of an inch in diameter? A space debris expert from Missouri University of Science and Technology, suggests that even a marble-sized piece of space junk can severely damage spacecraft.
Dr. William P. Schonberg, chair of civil, architectural and environmental engineering at Missouri S&T, is available to speak to reporters about the impact of space debris in light of today's evacuation of the International Space Station to avoid orbital debris that was spotted within a 2.8-mile range of the station.
Schonberg's research in the areas of shock physics, hypervelocity impact and penetration mechanics have been applied to a variety of engineering problems, including issues pertaining to space missions. One notable application of his work was the development of orbital debris-protection systems for low-earth orbiting aircraft.
Missouri S&T graduate Sandra Magnus is one of the NASA astronauts currently living aboard the space station, and was evacuated along with other space station denizens.
RSS