Evaluation of Whipple Bumper shields at 7 and 10 km/sA series of experiments has been performed on the Sandia Hypervelocity Launcher to determine the performance limits of conventional Whipple shields against representative 0.8 g aluminum orbital debris plate-like fragments with velocities of 7 and 10 km/s. Supporting diagnostics include flash X-rays, high speed photography and transient digitizers for timing correlation. Two Whipple shield designs were tested with either a 0.030 cm or a 0.127 cm thick front sheet and a 0.407 cm thick backsheet separated by 30.5 cm. These two designs bracket the ballistic penetration limit curve for protection against these debris simulants for 7 km/s impacts.
Document ID
19920056054
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ang, J. A. (NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Chhabildas, L. C. (Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque, NM, United States)
Cour-Palais, B. G. (McDonnell Douglas Co., Space Systems Div., Houston TX, United States)
Christiansen, E. L. (NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Crews, J. L. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)