Hypervelocity impacts and upper-stage breakups

Preliminary analysis results have been obtained for tests conducted to ascertain whether a distinctive fragmentation 'signature' allows discrimination between launch vehicle upper stage destructions due to hypervelocity particle impacts and internal explosions. An account is presently given of factors controlling the damage pattern created by hypervelocity impacts, and an evaluation is made of the applicability of the simulation results obtained to actual upper stage destruction characterization.