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Micrometeoroids and Orbital Debris (MMOD)

Kumari Sonali

Micrometeoroids and Orbital Debris (MMOD):

Concerns over space debris safety resurfaced after orbital debris damaged a window of China’s Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft. The incident has renewed global attention on protecting astronauts and spacecraft from Micrometeoroids and Orbital Debris (MMOD).Micrometeoroids and Orbital Debris (MMOD) refers to a combined threat from naturally occurring space particles and human-made debris orbiting Earth, capable of damaging or destroying spacecraft due to their extremely high velocities.Located in Orbital debris: Concentrated mainly in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) between 200 km and 2,000 km altitude.Present throughout interplanetary space, with slightly higher density near Earth due to gravitational pull.Formed mainly from asteroid collisions in the asteroid belt and debris from comets, travelling at very high speeds.Generated from defunct satellites, exploded rocket stages, accidental collisions, and anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon tests.Collisions between debris create more fragments, potentially triggering a self-sustaining chain reaction of debris generation.

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