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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Meteoroid ablation spheres from deep-sea sediments

The paper deals with an examination of spheres that are magnetically extracted from mid-Pacific abyssal clays that are up to half a million years old. The spheres are divided into three groups using their dominant mineralogy - namely, iron, glassy, and silicate. Most spheres were formed from particles that completely melted as they separated from their parent meteoroids during the ablation process. It is concluded that the mineralogy and composition of the deep-sea spheres are identical in many respects to the meteorite fusion crusts, laboratory-created ablation debris, and the ablated interplanetary dust particles in the stratospheric collection.

Blanchard, M. B.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Chemistry of cometary meteoroids from video-tape records of meteor spectra

The chemistry of the cometary meteoroids was studied by closed circuit television observing systems. Vidicon cameras produce basic data on standard video tape and enable the recording of the spectra of faint shower meteors, consequently the chemical study is extended to smaller particles and we have a larger data bank than is available from the more conventional method of recording meteor spectra by photography. The two main problems in using video tape meteor spectrum records are: (1) the video tape recording has a much lower resolution than the photographic technique; (2) video tape is relatively new type of data storage in astronomy and the methods of quantitative photometry have not yet been fully developed in the various fields where video tape is used. The use of the most detailed photographic meteor spectra to calibrate the video tape records and to make positive identification of the more prominent chemical elements appearing in the spectra may solve the low resolution problem. Progress in the development of standard photometric techniques for the analysis of video tape records of meteor spectra is reported.

Millman, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Designing space vehicle shields for meteoroid protection - A new analysis

A new analysis for designing dual-layer shields is presented which is based on energy and momentum conservation, fundamental electromagnetic radiation physics, and the observation of results of extensive experimental impact studies performed at relatively low velocities (near 7 km/s). An important finding is that most of the kinetic energy of a meteoroid striking a dual-layer shield is expended as radiation at the stagnation zone on the face plate of the underlying structure. Systematic procedures for evaluating the response of shield designs for a given impact threat are described. It is noted that similar applications of the analysis can be employed to support a mathematically rigorous procedure for optimum shield design.

Swift, H. F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Hypervelocity impact investigations and meteoroid shielding experience related to Apollo and Skylab

Generic hypervelocity impact related topics and specific Apollo/Skylab related investigations are reviewed. Cratering and spallation mechanisms and the relationships between the effecting physical parameters are discussed. Design and material requirements for meteoroid shielding structures are also addressed. Penetration resistance and failure mode studies for Apollo/Skylab components are reviewed.

Cour-Palais, B. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Parametric analysis: SOC meteoroid and debris protection

The meteoroid and man made space debris environments of an Earth orbital manned space operations center are discussed. Protective shielding thickness and design configurations for providing given levels of no penetration probability were also calculated. Meteoroid/debris protection consists of a radiator/shield thickness, which is actually an outer skin, separated from the pressure wall, thickness by a distance. An ideal shield thickness, will, upon impact with a particle, cause both the particle and shield to vaporize, allowing a minimum amount of debris to impact the pressure wall itself. A shield which is too thick will crater on the outside, and release small particles of shield from the inside causing damage to the pressure wall. Inversely, if the shield is too thin, it will afford no protection, and the backup must provide all necessary protection. It was concluded that a double wall concept is most effective.

Kowalski, R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The flux of meteoroids and orbital space debris striking satellites in low earth orbit

Results are presented from an analysis of 331 craters in the 0.09-250 micron size range found in the solid aluminum thermal control louvers of the Solar Maximum Mission spacecraft, distinguishing between natural meteoroid impacts and those of orbital spacecraft debris. The time-averaged flux and size distribution of both particle types over the 10 to the -13th to 10 to the -7th g mass range are directly determined.

Laurance, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The role of fragmentation in interaction of meteoroids with the Earth's atmosphere

As a rule, when analyzing the mechanism of quasi continuous fragmentation (QCF) it is assumed that fragments separated from the parent meteoroid (PM) are of equal initial mass. In reality, this may not be so. A major difficulty is the lack of observational data on the function of the fragment initial mass distribution and so one must resort to theoretical modeling. A discrete distribution is considered which excluded to a certain extent some mathematical difficulties. The calculation results are given and discussed.

Babadjanov, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Incident meteoroid flux density

Complex photographic and radar meteor observations were carried out. Using the available observational data, the density of incident flux of meteoroids was estimated over a wide mass range of 0.001 to 100 g. To avoid the influence of apparatus selectivity a special technique was applied. The main characteristics of this technique are given and discussed.

Badadjanov, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Comet ejection and dynamics of nonspherical dust particles and meteoroids

This paper generalizes the formalism for calculating the ejection velocity of meteoroids and dust from comets and the forces to which such objects are subject in interplanetary space, including the dust tail of comets. It is found that spheres have the smallest cross section of any geometrical figures of the same valume averaged over random orientations, so for a fixed volume and mass, both the ejection velocity and beta reaches a minimum for bodies of spherical shapes. Flakes in random orientation are ejected near 70 percent of the highest ejection velocity for any orientation. Needles in random orientation escape a comet at nearly 90 percent of their maximum velocities. Randomly oriented cylinders of finite thickness escape at lower velocities that are slightly closer to their maximum velocities. The average beta acting on spin-aligned, perfectly absorbing needles is more than half that acting on a sphere of the same material and radius.

Gustafson, Bo A. S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Possible relationship between the Farmington meteorite and a seismically detected swarm of meteoroids impacting the moon

The Farmington ordinary L5 chondrite with its uniquely short cosmic-ray exposure age of less than 25,000 years may have been a member of a large meteoroid swarm which was detected by the Apollo seismic network when it encountered the moon in June 1975. The association implies that the parent body of the Farmington meteorite was in an earth-crossing orbit at the time the swarm was formed. This supports the idea that at least some meteorites are derived from the observable population of earth-crossing asteroids.

Oberst, Jurgen↗
NASA NTRS1990

Low Be-10 and Al-26 contents of ureilites - Production at meteoroid surfaces

The Be-10 contents of 22 ureilites and the Al-26 contents of 18 ureilites are reported. When corrected for exposure age, where known, and for composition, the results give production rate, P that are on average 20 percent lower than values typical of other meteorite classes. This depression of production rates, the weak correlations of both P26 and P10 with Ne-22/Ne-21 and the generally high He-3/Ne-21 and Ne-22/Ne-21 ratios in urelities all suggest that many of the samples occupied near-surface locations in their parent meteoroids. A reduced flux of cosmic rays does not by itself explain the elevated Ne-22/Ne-21 ratios and appears inconsistent with a proposed source for ureilites in the inner asteroid belt. Cosmogenic radionuclide data do not support the tentative pairing of ALHA 78019 with ALHa 78262 proposed on the basis of mineralogical similarities. The high Al-26 content of LEW 85440 may be the result of irradiation by solar cosmic rays.

Aylmer, D.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Meteoroid and orbital debris record of the Long Duration Exposure Facility's frame

The gravity stabilization feature of the NASA Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), which was recovered in January 1990 after 5.7 years of continuous exposure to the LEO environment, has allowed the resolution of the flux and trajectories of impacting meteoroids and space-debris particulates. Attention is presently given to the stereoscopic video imaging results obtained for the large impact features on the LDEF's aluminum frame. Extreme directionalities appear to typify impacting particulates larger than 0.1 mm in diameter; this is not explainable in light of current models. Recommendations for further LDEF analyses to ensure the safe design of future spacecraft are presented.

Zolensky, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1992

Multishock Shield Against Meteoroids And Debris

Two documents discuss "multi-shock shielding" concept, according to which multiple spaced, very thin layers of material protects spacecraft against impacts by meteoroids, orbiting debris, or other projectiles traveling at hypervelocities. According to concept, incoming projectile broken up upon impact on first (outermost) layer, and fragments further broken up by subsequent layers. At each successive surface, impact pressure heats fragments, eventually melting and/or vaporizing them.

Cour-Palais, Burton G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The composition of meteoroids impacting LDEF

So far we have completed an initial scanning electron microscopy (SEM) survey of craters on the exterior of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) in the 100 micron to 1mm size range and done some quantitative analysis. In typical craters, the residue appears to be a mixture of glass and FeNi and sulfide beads with an overall chondritic elemental composition. In less than 10 percent of the craters, there is a substantial amount of meteoroid debris that also contains unmelted mineral grains. The relatively high abundance of forsterite and enststite among these irregular grains suggests that a high melting point probably plays a role in surviving impact without melting.

Brownlee, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

LDEF experiment M0003 meteoroid and debris survey

A survey of the meteoroid and space debris impacts on LDEF experiment M0003 was performed. The purpose was to document impact phenomenology and to obtain impact crater data for comparison to current debris and micrometeoroid models. The survey consists of photomicrographs of significant impacts in a variety of material types, accurate measurements of impact crater coordinates and dimensions for selected experiment surfaces and data basing of the crater data for reduction, manipulation, and comparison models. Large area surfaces which were studied include the experiment power and data system sunshields, environment exposure control canister sunshields, and the M0003 signal conditioning unit covers. Crater diameters down to 25 microns were measured and catalogued. Both leading and trailing edge surfaces were studied and compared. The results shows the different response of materials to hypervelocity impacts. Comparison of the data to curves derived from the Kessler debris model and the Cour-Palais micrometeoroid model indicates a marked tendency for overprediction of small impacts and underprediction of large impacts with there being better agreement for the medium sized impacts. Representative impact data is presented.

Meshishnek, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Fall days of the SNC meteorites - Evidence for an SNC meteoroid stream, and a common site of origin

Four of the SNC meteorites of putative Martian origin are falls. Two of these fell on October 3: Chassigny in 1815 and Zagami in 1962. The probability of this coincidence arising from random fall days is approximately 1 in 60. If this coincidence is not the result of chance, it suggests that some of the SNC meteorites are derived from a meteoroid stream. In that Chassigny and Zagami span nearly the full range of SNC lithologies and histories, the coincidence of fall days is consistent with suggestions that all of the SNCs came from a single site (impact crater) on their parent planet.

Treiman, Allan H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Analyzing Impacts Of Meteoroids And Debris On Spacecraft

BUMPERII is modular computer program implementing numerical solution technique to calculate probability of no penetration (PNP) of spacecraft by orbiting artificial debris or impacts of meteoroids. Equation used to calculate PNP based on Poisson-distribution model applicable to similar analysis of smaller craft, but reflects more rigorous mathematical modeling of size, shape, orientation, and other characteristics of spacecraft that affect impacts, and necessary for PNP analysis of such larger structures as components of space station. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Bjorkman, Mike↗