High-Speed Spectrometer System

The Impact Facility at the University of Kent is looking to procure a High-Speed Spectrometer System for attachment on to a two-stage light gas gun as part of its new ERC funded project.

The Impact Facility has been operating for over 30 years, focusing on the laboratory-based simulation of hypervelocity impact events relevant to spacecraft and planetary science. The Impact Group regularly presents results at national and international conferences and publishes across a range of science and technology focused journals.

The funding acquired for this equipment is a European Research Council Consolidator Grant entitled PROSPER that has been awarded to Dr Penelope Wozniakiewiczs.

The PROSPER project focuses on the growing issue of space debris, which poses a threat to orbiting satellites and continued safe access to space. The specific goals being addressed by the Impact Group will be:

· Developing advanced detectors to better understand small debris

· Studying how debris shape affects the damage it inflicts on spacecraft and ejecta that is created

· Examining the potential side effects deorbiting satellites could bring when they re-enter the atmosphere