Space Junk: How Satellites Survive Hypervelocity Impacts

In this documentary excerpt, satellites and the International Space Station face an invisible threat: tiny fragments of space debris moving at extreme speed around Earth. The film follows how agencies track orbital debris, calculate collision risks, and sometimes move spacecraft out of danger when a fragment comes too close. The excerpt then enters a German laboratory where scientists test satellite protection using a “space gun,” firing metal particles at shielding materials at nearly 15,000 mph. These experiments show how multilayer shields can protect satellites from small debris, and why astronauts on spacewalks remain dangerously exposed to fragments too small for radar to detect. Documentary: Asteroid Rush Director: Bertrand Loyer Production: Saint Thomas Productions (2018) #spacejunk #orbitaldebris #spacedebris #satellites #hypervelocityimpact #spacegun #iss #spaceengineering #spaceexploration #satelliteshielding