Interactive 2.5.1: Animation: ISS risk of impact from orbital debris
This animation shows the risk of impact from orbital debris particles on the different surfaces of the ISS in the future configuration, which includes the Russian Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) and airlock. The bar at the top indicates the low to high risk color values. The image sequence begins with the bow (or front) of the station on the left, the stern (or back) on the right, the port (or left) side facing the viewer, and the starboard (or right) side of the station out of view. If in motion, the station would travel in an orbit that would move from the right side of the page to the left.
As the viewer begins the animation, the ISS rotates about an axis that starts at the bottom of the page (where Earth is) and terminates at the top of the page (where space is). The color differences occur because orbital debris flux is directional. For instance, imagine the ISS is a car driving down a road in the rain. More rain is likely to impact the windshield than the trunk as the car travels forward. This is reflected in the animation of the ISS with the front side of the station, which is more red and orange, likely to encounter more debris than the back, which is primarily blue.
Interactive Credit: NASA / Hypervelocity Impact Technology Group
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