Orbital Debris from Upper-Stage Breakup Book

Over the past 25 years, the mass of man-made objects from upper-stage breakups has grown to the point that it now dictates the design environment for future low-Earth-orbit operations. The hazards presented by a vast range of particle sizes, from virtual dust to the largest known orbital debris fragments, have not been fully quantified, but the field struggles with that task now. This book provides an overview of the problem, discusses practical strategies for mitigation of debris hazards, and considers strategies for prevention of future breakups.

Booknews

Proceedings of a conference held May 1987, Houston, Texas. Contributors include launch-system operators from NASA and Western Europe who have experienced such events, and people from organizations that generate data pertaining to breakups. Presentations focus on the options for preventive and ameliorative action, the designs and operational practices in use and their adequacy. Acidic paper. No index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)