As satellites in Earth orbit explode into tens of thousands of pieces, the risk of collisions with space debris has become a major concern. Atomic-6 has developed a Space Armor tile that is lighter and more effective than existing systems to meet this challenge.
Currently, there are more than 130 million pieces of debris of various sizes in Earth's orbit. While most debris is smaller than a chip of paint and may not appear to be a threat, the consequences could be catastrophic when debris traveling at hypersonic speeds hits an oncoming satellite.
Various measures to mitigate the space debris problem have emerged in recent years, such as tracking systems, improved aircraft and launcher designs, and the development of protocols to properly dispose of abandoned satellites before they are decommissioned or moved into "graveyard orbits."
Another way to combat the risk of debris is to equip spacecraft with protective armor. The most common is the Whipple shield invented by astronomer Fred Whipple in the 1940s. It is composed of multiple layers of aluminum plates and foam polymer filling, which can gradually dissipate impact energy through the multi-layer structure and ultimately protect the spacecraft body. But such shields are expensive, complex to manufacture, and heavy. To make matters worse, aluminum tends to splinter more when struck, which is counterproductive.
Atomic-6 claims that its Space Armor product improves the Whipple shield. The new armor is made from the company's proprietary polymer material, which mixes fibers with resin in a secret ratio and is created through a special process. The ceramic tiles are self-adhesive, with a single size of 30 cm x 30 cm and a thickness of about 2.5 cm. Larger sizes can also be customized on demand.
According to reports, Space Armor can withstand high-speed impacts exceeding 7 kilometers per second and generates very few secondary fragments. The product is available in different models. The light version can protect against 90% of space debris with a diameter of less than 3 mm, while the heavy version can protect against debris up to 12.5 mm in width.
In addition, Space Armor has an important advantage over Whipple shields - its material is transparent to radio waves and does not block signals like the latter. This means that the new polymer armor can also be used to protect radar or communication antennas without affecting communication and monitoring functions. Atomic-6 also provides corresponding radio opaque versions.
Trevor Smith, CEO of Atomic-6, said: "For the first time, we have created a radome that can stop orbital debris. Now to protect spacecraft safety, you no longer have to sacrifice communications." He emphasized that as the geopolitical situation tightens and space security threats intensify, it has become necessary to protect satellites and astronauts from accidental and deliberate attacks.