A classical phase-space model of the hydrogen molecule is presented and applied to the study of the electron-capture and-ionization processes in collisions of fully stripped ions with H 2 at intermediate impact energies and charge states from 1 to 10. The model is based on the independent-electron and the impact-parameter approximations. The electron–impinging-ion and electron–target-nuclei interactions are exactly taken into account. The interaction between the electrons is approximated by model potentials. The calculated total cross sections for production of free electrons and capture of one electron are in good agreement with different experimental data. The ratio between the capture cross sections from molecular and atomic hydrogen targets is also analyzed and compared with available empirical scalings. It is found that this ratio varies from a value less than 1 at low impact energy to 4 at higher energies. The reasons for these differences are discussed. A comparison is made between the capture cross sections for different orientations of the hydrogen molecule.