The Effects of Orbital Distribution from Solid Rocket Motor Slag

Solid rocket motor (SRM) firings are an important source of space debris environment. The resulting by-products are generally divided into two categories: slag and dust. Dust will re-entry sharply and do not pose a significant hazard. Slag debris can achieve centimeter level, these particles have a serious effect on risk assessment and defend structural design of spacecraft. It is important to understand the size distribution and orbital behavior of slag in order to predict the hazard posed both currently and in the future. Utilizing previous researches on SRM slag and 8-year launch cycle, we have analyzed the orbital distribution of SRM slag. The results indicate that SRM slag is a crucial component of the space debris environment. In order to sustainable utilization outer space, human should forbid the use of SRM in the future, especially for the medium Earth orbit (MEO) and geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) regions.