Collisions in space are really bad. Even with our current technology, a piece of space debris moving at Earth escape speed (roughly 11.2 kilometers per second) weighing 30 grams (an ounce) packs a punch equivalent to nearly two megajoules. That's as much energy as it takes to lift a one tonne car two hundred meters into the air. Or, put it another way, it's the energy of impact if someone drops a one tonne car on you from a height of 200 meters.
Ask anyone who has had a one tonne car dropped on them from 200 meters height and i'm sure they will say that it sucks. As you can imagine, such an impact can have a devastating effect on a spacecraft. This discussion reminds me of the cockatoos who live near our house, and have a wicked sense of slapstick humor. They take delight in pruning gumnuts from trees and…