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Exterior spacecraft subsystem protective shielding analysis and designAll spacecraft are susceptible to impacts by meteoroids and pieces of orbiting space debris. An effective mechanism is developed to protect external spacecraft subsystems against damage by ricochet particles formed during such impacts. Equations and design procedures for protective shield panels are developed based on observed ricochet phenomena and calculated ricochet particle sizes and speeds. It is found that the diameter of the most damaging ricochet debris particle can be as large as 40 percent of the original project tile diameter, and can travel at speeds between 24 and 36 percent of the original projectile impact velocity. Panel dimensions are shown to be strongly dependent on their inclination to the impact velocity vector and on their distribution around a spacecraft module. It is concluded that obliquity effects of high-speed impacts must be considered in the design of any structure exposed to the meteoroid and space debris environment.
Document ID
19900049134
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Schonberg, William P.
(Alabama, University Huntsville, United States)
Taylor, Roy A.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
Volume: 27
ISSN: 0022-4650
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Accession Number
90A36189
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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