The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 23, 2026
Filed:
Jun. 05, 2024
The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Nilton O. Rennó, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
The Regents of The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A system and method for detecting space debris which is based on measurements of broadband non-thermal radiation and/or light emitted by either sparks or the expansion of the plasma-fragments cloud generated during high-speed collisions of solid materials. The method is based on the concept that broadband nonthermal radiation and/or light can be used to detect the formation of new debris and for tracking debris clouds. The emission of broadband nonthermal radiation and/or light is based on theoretical and observational evidence that the collision of particles of solid materials with each other transfer enough charge to create electric fields large enough to produce small electric discharges or sparks and that the expansion of the plasma-fragments cloud generated by collisions at orbital velocities produce thermal and non-thermal electromagnetic signals.