Abstract IMPACT is a hypervelocity collision and explosion model developed by The Aerospace Corporation to predict the characteristics of debris generated by fragmentation events. Used for over 30 years, it is a semi-empirical model that has supported a wide range of orbital debris analyses including satellite risk assessment, on-orbit event analyses, flight test and mission planning, debris mitigation and spacecraft design studies, and long-term debris environment evolution and space safety analyses. The model interconnects empirical expressions with conservation laws and boundary conditions to model debris generation from individual fragmentation events. A series of efforts to study available on-orbit data and newly-generated ground-test data during the past decade has added to the understanding of on-orbit fragmentation events, particularly with regard to explosion events, sub-catastrophic breakups, smaller fragment characteristics, and more diverse modern satellite construction materials. These insights have led to several upgrades of the IMPACT collision and explosion model. The model's capabilities have been expanded to represent sub-catastrophic and asymmetric fragmentation events, more accurately model fragment material differences and their relationships to area-to-mass ratios, model smaller fragments, and relate ground-based and on-orbit data. Additional insights have been gained through the integration of individual model improvements while maintaining overall model consistency. This paper provides an overview of the current IMPACT model, discussing the design and expressions used in the current collision and explosion algorithms, changes over the past decade, and implications of insights from both on-orbit and ground test data. Modelling techniques discussed include representation of fragmenting object material differences, sub-catastrophic fragmentations, and small fragment modelling. Interactions between different model improvements are discussed, including small versus large fragment characteristics and sub-catastrophic versus catastrophic fragmentation events. Model updates are considered in the context of fragmentation event data. Future directions for development also are considered based on the insights from the aggregated data and model updates.

    Highlights This paper provides an overview of the current IMPACT model algorithms. Models of material differences, sub-catastrophic events, and small fragments are discussed. Model updates are considered in the context of fragmentation event data.


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    Title :

    The IMPACT satellite fragmentation model


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Acta Astronautica ; 195 ; 547-555


    Publication date :

    2022-03-23


    Size :

    9 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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