Objects in low Earth orbit often travel at hypervelocity, typically between about 10 km/s and 15 km/s (roughly 22,000 – 34,000 mph). At those speeds even millimeter‑ to centimeter‑sized particles carry huge kinetic energy. When such a particle hits an aluminum surface it doesn’t just make a small mark, it creates a crater and can eject material, sometimes several times larger than the particle itself, and sends shock waves through the metal.
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