Hypervelocity impact testing of Shuttle Orbiter thermal protection system tilesResults are presented from a series of 22 hypervelocity impact tests carried out on the thermal protection system (TPS) for the Shuttle Orbiter. Both coated and uncoated low-density (0.14 g/cu cm) LI-900 and high-density (0.35 g/cu cm) LI-2200 tiles were tested. The results are used to develop the penetration and damage correlations which can be used in meteoroid and debris hazard analyses for spacecraft with a ceramic tile TPS. It is shown that tile coatings act as a 'bumper' to fragment the impacting projectile, with thicker coating providing increased protection.
Document ID
19910025459
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Christiansen, Eric L. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Ortega, Javier (Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Co. Houston, TX, United States)