The photo shows the "energy flash" when a projectile launched at speeds up to 17,000 mph impacts a solid surface at the Hypervelocity Ballistic Range at NASA's Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California. This test is used to simulate what happens when a piece of orbital debris hits a spacecraft in orbit. Image # : A-26921-B January 1, 1963

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Photo credit: © NC Collections / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: ablation, ames, ballistics, center, gun, hypervelocity, micrometeors, naval, plant, range, research