Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Space Jam

 Jellified Satellite Meteorite Protection
 
(+2, -2) 		  [vote for,
against]

Space junk and micro-meteors are quite the problem it seems in earth orbit. Orbiting projectiles have the damage potential of bullets, due to the relative speed differences and light-weight construction of most space vehicles. I was just watching the news where the ISS was adding reinforced plating to combat the threat.

My solution would be to use any of the following to protect the station:
1. some jello-like substance that would remain squishy in the frigid space enviroment
2. relatively dense expanding foam
3. lots of popcorn and carmel. The ISS would look like a giant packing peanut or popcorn ball in the sky, with solar panels.

—RayfordSteele, Aug 18 2002

Aerogel http://www.time.com...ns/rob_aerogel.html
Air-flavored tofu [RayfordSteele, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

[link]






       The problem is to slow down the object, using a barrier (or other strategy) that weighs as little as possible. Jam doesn't have a high enough stoppage to mass ratio. I'm voting for a layer of plates, charged to a very high voltage, so that an arc forms as the object comes through & vaporises it.
—pfperry, Aug 18 2002
   

       Space custard ?
—8th of 7, Aug 18 2002
   

       Yes, a custard-based substance sounds very much in order here..
—Mr Burns, Aug 18 2002
   

       Finally a way to get rid of excess Vagina-jam.
—polartomato, Aug 19 2002
   

       (I thought custard would be a little too obvious, and the movie title was just too appealing as a lame pun).   

       pfperry, take a look at the stuff they use to test-fire bullets. It's designed to have the same density as your guts, and it only takes a few cubic feet to stop the bullet completely.   

       Mr. Tomatohead, you simply had to mention that stuff, didn't you...
—RayfordSteele, Aug 19 2002
   

       [RayfordSteele] the //jello-like substance// would have to maintain its "squishyness" in a large difference of temperatures, that change almost constantly (assuming the craft was on barbecue).
—Veritas, Feb 10 2003
   

       They have something like this... its called an Aerogel
—w8tvi, Jun 25 2003
   

       To the larger projectiles, lead, would be space jam.
—sartep, Jun 25 2003
   

       They might have the same energy or inertia as bullets, but they are not bullets. They are going so fast that they vaporise when they hit something.
If I remember correctly, typical "armor" is a layer of something hard (like metal) and then something to slow down the gasses.
—my-nep, May 31 2004
   
      
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