How Can Spacecraft Breakup Events Be Identified during Re-Entry?
A recently published study, entitled “Spectral markers for re-entry event identification,” investigates the use of spectral markers — materials designed to emit characteristic spectral signatures — during re-entry that can be detected by ground or airborne observation systems.
Researchers from evaluated six candidate materials under representative re-entry conditions in the PWK4 plasma wind tunnel. Using high-resolution optical emission spectroscopy, the team assessed their suitability for future spacecraft re-entry observation campaigns.
The measurements were performed with an Aryelle Echelle spectrometer from LTB Lasertechnik Berlin. This spectrometer enabled detailed analysis of atomic and molecular emission features across a broad spectral range.
The study identifies lanthanum hexaboride (LaB₆) and rubidium chloride (RbCl) as the most promising spectral markers. While LaB₆ exhibits numerous lanthanum emission lines and molecular bands across the visible and near-infrared spectrum, RbCl produces two exceptionally strong and well-isolated emission lines in the near-infrared region.
These findings represent an important step toward improved reconstruction of spacecraft fragmentation events and future re-entry observation missions.
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