Posted on 10/23/2021 10:40:09 AM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
Technically speaking, a micrometeoroid is a tiny piece of rock that under normal circumstances (like say after passing through Earth’s atmosphere) would pose no danger. The problem is these things are never to be found in normal circumstances, and are known to travel through space at speeds of over 22,000 mph (35,400 kph). At those speeds, and with virtually no way to detect them in time, they’re like cannon shells for anyone or anything standing in their way.
The Glenn Research Center is the place where something called Ballistic Impact Lab resides. That would be a facility that houses a 40-foot-long air gun capable of shooting out one end various projectiles at speeds that can reach 2,000 mph (3,200 kph). Not quite the speed of a meteorite, but given how they shoot steel ball bearings, among other things, the results should come close enough.
A number of textiles and fabrics for Artemis have already been tested by NASA engineers this way, as the race is on to find out things like how many layers would be needed to stop micrometeoroid penetration.
(Excerpt) Read more at autoevolution.com ...
And guessing the bedding is heavy?
Congress will declare this an “Assault Style Weapon” and make it illegal.
Don’t let Alec Baldwin anywhere near this peashooter!
These things are traveling at 22,000 mph, not 2,000 mph.
—”.308 round, among many others, will do the same thing with a normal length barrel.”
And what kind of government grant will you get for that?
Also, guessing the projectile to be considerably smaller?
How far can they traverse off the centerline of the tracks?
I typed in 22000 and DuckDuckGo switched it to 2000 and I didn't notice.
I changed it back to 22000 in the calculator and it computed it correctly, but the title still says 2000.
What’s the speed after the atmosphere slows it down, if it doesn’t burn up first?
It's a start, but it is not close enough. A micrometiorite has a velocity 15 times that of this gun, or 225 times the energy density. That's the difference between fracturing something and vaporizing it - literally.
No idea. In Harry Turtledove’s World War series it took out an alien invader low-orbit spacecraft command facility. The missile defenses didn’t stand a chance against an incoming kinetic shell.
Rods from god.
The Vapor Gun. A great chance to waste Trillion$.
I used a calculator only to have an image to post. Should have just done the math myself:
22,000 miles/hour x 5,280 feet/mile / (60 min/hour x 60 sec/min) = 32,266.66666666667 feet/sec
So, what about a photon (particle) traveling at the speed of light (wave)? Glass slows them down a bit, some more than others, eh?
2,000 mph (3,200 kph). Not quite the speed of a meteorite, but given how they shoot steel ball bearings, among other things, the results should come close enough.
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Close enough? Verses 10 kilometers per second (22,500 mph)? Close? What?
You’re off by an order of magnitude—it’s 22,000 mph, not 2,000 mph.
—”What’s the speed after the atmosphere slows it down, if it doesn’t burn up first?”
The atmosphere is a bit thin compared to earth.
Not slowing things down all that much.
“In the moon’s atmosphere, there are only 100 molecules per cubic centimeter. In comparison, Earth’s atmosphere at sea level has about 100 billion billion molecules per cubic centimeter. “
https://www.space.com/18067-moon-atmosphere.html
—”That’s the difference between fracturing something and vaporizing it - literally.”
Brings up a good question.
This work must be in a near-vacuum like the moon.
Monster vacuum pumps.
And what of the air propellant from behind the projectile?
I have heard of faster than stink but never gave it any thought.
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