REVIEW OF DEBRIS-CLOUD MODELING TECHNIQUES

The state of the art in debris-cloud modeling is examined. The simulat ion of the debris-generating breakup event is discussed, including how the distributions of fragment number and velocity can be utilized in a parametric cloud model. The various methods available for fragment, and hence cloud, propagation are described, and the different techniqu es employed to calculate collision probabilities for spacecraft encoun tering the cloud are also discussed. It is concluded that the method o f probabilistic continuum dynamics, which inherently couples cloud evo lution and collision hazard assessment, offers the greatest combinatio n of versatility and simulation accuracy among the models developed to date.