What happens when you fire a 1.2 centimeter sphere of aluminum (weighing 1.7 grams)…

Posted by on May 1, 2016 Leave a comment (15) Go to comments

What happens when you fire a 1.2 centimeter sphere of aluminum (weighing 1.7 grams) at an 18 centimeter thick block of aluminum?

And by "fire" I don't mean some weenie velocity, I mean 6.8 kilometers per second.

Temperature at impact site exceeds 6000K.

Thanks to the ESA for performing such a cool experiment which helps in designing space debris resistant spacecraft. (http://goo.gl/b0LKd9)


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15 Comments.

  1. Gert Sønderby May 1, 2016 at 4:04 pm

    Now imagine that pellet as a 28 kg depleted-uranium spear.

    Reply
  2. Rich G. May 1, 2016 at 4:52 pm

    I'm digging the cavity created on the back end.

    Reply
  4. Jacob Merrill May 1, 2016 at 5:52 pm

    I wonder how a aerogel / metallic foam + coated in ceramic would do.

    Like the layers in a sea shell. 

    Reply
  5. Tom Nathe May 1, 2016 at 5:59 pm

    That so needs googly eyes to complete the pareidolia.

    Reply
  6. Ed Greshko May 1, 2016 at 6:38 pm

    Painted yellow and blue I imagine a Minion. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Jan Moren May 1, 2016 at 7:41 pm

    …I would assume that's not the original pellet in the picture.

    Reply
  8. Tom Nathe May 1, 2016 at 7:54 pm

    +Jan Moren Yup, the original pellet is one with the block.

    Reply
  9. Ed Greshko May 1, 2016 at 8:38 pm

    +Tom Nathe is it really at one with the block or vaporized?   Wonder if a video exists of the experiment.

    Reply
  10. Rich G. May 1, 2016 at 8:44 pm

    I'm imagining the meeting where the guy… Yeah, it was a guy, started to justify the experiment and everyone in the room stopped him and asked only of they could watch.

    Reply
  11. Tom Nathe May 1, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    +Ed Greshko no video that I could find. However loads of simulations, analyses, and photos after the fact.
    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1945-5100.2008.tb00614.x/pdf
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257335940_Hypervelocity_impact_on_Zr51Ti5Ni10Cu25Al9_bulk_metallic_glass

    The image of the block is from the ESA (I think), but no link to the lab that did the work.
    http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2009/02/Hypervelocity_impact_sample

    however, NASA does have a hypervelocity lab that does all sorts of testing with hypervelocity impacts.
     http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/thermophysics-facilities-home

    Near as I can see with the various impacts – the pellet hits the block, or plate, melts and continues to go as far as it can into the block. The resultant crater, contains both remains of the pellet embedded in the block, and some does get ejected with the block material.
    http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/hvit/physics.cfm
    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1945-5100.2008.tb00614.x/pdf

    Reply
  12. Ed Greshko May 1, 2016 at 9:25 pm

    +Tom Nathe thanks for those links. 

    Reply
  13. Rich G. May 1, 2016 at 11:23 pm

    I wonder if the speed determined the distance from the impact of the cavity and if the speed at which the cavity breaks through is the same as the speed at which the missile broke through as well… Concussive damage aiding in the penetration of the missile through the material.

    Reply
  14. Samuel Trajano May 2, 2016 at 1:37 am

    now test it with steel. 😀 hehehe

    Reply
  15. Mike L. May 3, 2016 at 5:57 am

    +Gert Sønderby because Tungsten wasn't cool enough? #shadowrun

    m/2 * v^2
    Nuff said.

    Reply

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