Low-velocity catastrophic impact on micro satellite

This paper characterizes the physical properties of fragments from a low-velocity catastrophic impact on a micro satellite. A catastrophic impact means that target and projectile are totally fragmented, whereas a non-catastrophic impact is characterized primarily by fragmentation of projectile and by crater or hole on target. The difference between a catastrophic and a noncatastrophic impact would be determined by the ratio of kinetic energy at impact to target mass. The NASA standard breakup model has defined if the ratio is equal to or greater than 40 J/g, then the impact is catastrophic. Therefore, we hit a micro satellite of a mass of approximately 680 g by an aluminum alloy solid sphere of a mass of 36 g at a speed of 1.35 km/s.