What kinetic threat is represented by a debris piece just one centimeter across at orbital velocity?
Answer
It carries the destructive energy equivalent of a hand grenade
Despite its relatively small size, a particle measuring one centimeter in diameter, when moving at typical orbital velocities, possesses an immense amount of kinetic energy. This energy level is so significant that the text equates its destructive potential to that of a hand grenade. This illustrates a critical concept: for smaller objects, speed, not just mass, dictates the severity of impact. Such an impact is substantial enough to cause severe system damage, distinguishing it from the millions of smaller fragments that cause less immediate but cumulative surface erosion.
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