Research Summary



When satellites and space stations break in orbit, they create dangerous debris fields that stay in orbit. This is an issue because the debris moves extremely quickly, and can damage other satellites and space stations when it collides with them. A current conflict regarding this issue is that Russia's anti-satellite missile testing has created these type of debris fields around earth.

Process Diagram



Object Speeds by a planet with a lot of momentum

Gravity attracts the objects to the planet and vice versa

Object continues to try to move forward, but is pulled down by gravity

The result is a balance of forces pushing the object out and pulling it in, making a circular orbit

Houdini Algorithm



Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Create satellite and planet and texture them

Animate satellite rotating around the planet using keyframes

Fracture the satellite geometry to create pieces of debris

Assign pieces of debris to a particle network, created using the initial positions of the debris

Transfer momentum from satellite Attract particles to the planet to create orbits

Final Renderings