Impact pressure (enough info?)

  • Thread starter Thread starter fire
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Impact Pressure
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion revolves around estimating impact pressure when orbiting space junk collides with a spacecraft traveling at low-earth orbital speeds of 25,000 mph. The participant suggests that due to insufficient information, arbitrary values for unknown variables should be used based on common sense. Additionally, they conclude that no calculations are necessary to determine the consequences if the spacecraft's material yield strength is lower than the estimated impact pressure.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of impact pressure calculations
  • Familiarity with the concept of yield strength in materials
  • Knowledge of conservation of momentum principles
  • Basic physics of orbital mechanics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research impact pressure estimation techniques in high-velocity collisions
  • Study material properties and yield strength calculations
  • Explore conservation of momentum in collision scenarios
  • Learn about the effects of space debris on spacecraft integrity
USEFUL FOR

Engineers, physicists, and aerospace professionals involved in spacecraft design and safety assessments regarding impacts from space debris.

fire
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Hi, I need help solving this problem. On one hand, I think that there's not enough information to solve it, on the other hand, I think there has to be a way to cancel out all the information that's not provided, and do the problem with only what's given. But I can't come up with a way to solve it. Conservation of momentum has too many unknown variables.

"Orbiting space junk hits a spacecraft at low-earth orbital speed of 25,000 mph. Estimate the impact pressure. Also, what will happen if the spacecraft 's material's yeild strength is lower than this impact pressure?"

Thanks
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Given the use of the word 'estimate' in part one, I would guess that you're expected to use arbitrary values for your unknowns, based upon common sense.

As for part two, well, no calculation is needed...
 
Yeah, that's what I ended up doing.
 

Similar threads

Time to empty gas cylinder (problem worked, but would like feedback)
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
Finding Force and Energy from an indentation into a volume
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
4K
Need advice and hints for working with helium
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
Undergrad How to Calculate force exerted on a falling body?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
Estimating Impact Force from Rotating Shaft on Collar
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Pressure, diameter and flow in a pneumatic system
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
5K
Determine velocity of a fluid - not enough info given?
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
4K
Undergrad Modeling a (rotating) mass impact on a preloaded (rotational) spring
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Static Pressure in relation to CFM
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
11K
Graduate NASA's DART spaceship has hit the Dimorphos asteroid: what now?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K