Review on hypervelocity impact of advanced space debris protection shields

Spacecraft employ space debris protection shields to mitigate the threat of hypervelocity impact (HVI) from millimeter-sized (envisioned in centimeters) hazardous space debris. Advancements in protection shields have primarily leveraged high-performance materials, such as high-performance fiber composites, multifunctional impedance gradient materials, and metallic honeycombs and foams, to enhance their protective capabilities. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of advanced space debris protection shields for HVI, covering the design and optimization of protective materials or structures, properties of debris clouds, phase transition issues of debris clouds, and numerical simulation techniques. Finally, to address the current research deficiencies considering the latest practical developments in space debris protection engineering, it is essential to propose engineering science research. These are important for enhancing the safety, stability, and longevity of spacecraft.