Velocity perturbation distributions in the breakup of artificial satellites

A method is presented for calculating the three orthogonal components of the velocity perturbations of satellite fragments, with a view to ascertaining the nature and intensity of the satellite breakup. The method employs three simultaneous equations furnished by changes in fragment specific energy, specific angular momentum, and plane orientation. Velocity perturbations are thereby calculated for fragments from 20 major satellite breakup events; these results, in conjunction with a technique for determining fragment masses, yield a description of the breakup process.