Eggshell metastructures could harden spacecraft against space debris
Researchers 3D-printed water-filled, eggshell-like aluminum arrays to augment Whipple shields, finding that upright, water-filled eggshell units dissipate impact energy more effectively than flat plates—reducing projectile velocity by ~65% in tests and simulations. This bio-inspired design aims to improve protection for spacecraft against increasingly common orbital debris, with ongoing work to refine configurations and materials.