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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Hypervelocity Impact Test Results for a Metallic Thermal Protection System

Hypervelocity impact tests have been performed on specimens representing metallic thermal protection systems (TPS) developed at NASA Langley Research Center for use on next-generation reusable launch vehicles (RLV). The majority of the specimens tested consists of a foil gauge exterior honeycomb panel, composed of either Inconel 617 or Ti-6Al-4V, backed with 2.0 in. of fibrous insulation and a final Ti-6Al-4V foil layer. Other tested specimens include titanium multi-wall sandwich coupons as well as TPS using a second honeycomb sandwich in place of the foil backing. Hypervelocity impact tests were performed at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Orbital Debris Simulation Facility. An improved test fixture was designed and fabricated to hold specimens firmly in place during impact. Projectile diameter, honeycomb sandwich material, honeycomb sandwich facesheet thickness, and honeycomb core cell size were examined to determine the influence of TPS configuration on the level of protection provided to the substructure (crew, cabin, fuel tank, etc.) against micrometeoroid or orbit debris impacts. Pictures and descriptions of the damage to each specimen are included.

Karr, Katherine L.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Improving Metallic Thermal Protection System Hypervelocity Impact Resistance Through Design of Experiments Approach

A design of experiments approach has been implemented using computational hypervelocity impact simulations to determine the most effective place to add mass to an existing metallic Thermal Protection System (TPS) to improve hypervelocity impact protection. Simulations were performed using axisymmetric models in CTH, a shock-physics code developed by Sandia National Laboratories, and validated by comparison with existing test data. The axisymmetric models were then used in a statistical sensitivity analysis to determine the influence of five design parameters on degree of hypervelocity particle dispersion. Several damage metrics were identified and evaluated. Damage metrics related to the extent of substructure damage were seen to produce misleading results, however damage metrics related to the degree of dispersion of the hypervelocity particle produced results that corresponded to physical intuition. Based on analysis of variance results it was concluded that the most effective way to increase hypervelocity impact resistance is to increase the thickness of the outer foil layer. Increasing the spacing between the outer surface and the substructure is also very effective at increasing dispersion.

Poteet, Carl C.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spatial decay of electromagnetic waves from hypervelocity impact plasmas

Due to the high kinetic energy of impactors in space, hypervelocity impacts on spacecraft can ablate spacecraft material and produce plasmas. These plasmas have been observed in ground-based experiments to produce electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) and are suspected to be a cause of spacecraft anomalies. The initial EMP that is produced after plasma formation is replicated using a 2D electromagnetic plasma simulation, consisting of a discontinuous Galerkin, particle-in-cell (DG-PIC) framework. The spontaneous formation of EMPs from an initial quasineutral plasma is consistent with previous works and show behavior similar to that of waves emitted by antennas. The EMP emits from the plasma with a frequency less than the plasma frequency associated with the point of maximum density, showing the importance of the density gradient, and the far-field region of the “plasma antenna” is estimated. From the proportionality between plasma frequency and EMP frequency, there is a direct correlation between plasma density and radiation. Finally, as the plasma density decreases, the EMP frequency decreases, which suggests that several observable phenomena, such as optical flashes, radio frequency emission, and microwave emission, all result from the same plasma-related mechanism within a single hypervelocity impact.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2007

Hypervelocity Impact (HVI): WLE High Fidelity Specimen RCC16R - Volume 7

During 2003 and 2004, the Johnson Space Center's White Sands Testing Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico conducted hypervelocity impact tests on the space shuttle wing leading edge. Hypervelocity impact tests were conducted to determine if Micro-Meteoroid/Orbital Debris impacts could be reliably detected and located using simple passive ultrasonic methods. The objective of Target RCC16R was to study hypervelocity impacts through the reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels of the Wing Leading Edge. Impact damage was detected using lightweight, low power instrumentation capable of being used in flight.

Gorman, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Hypervelocity Impact (HVI): WLE High Fidelity Specimen Fg(RCC)-1 - Volume 5

During 2003 and 2004, the Johnson Space Center's White Sands Testing Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico conducted hypervelocity impact tests on the space shuttle wing leading edge. Hypervelocity impact tests were conducted to determine if Micro-Meteoroid/Orbital Debris impacts could be reliably detected and located using simple passive ultrasonic methods. The objective of Target Fg(RCC)-1 was to study hypervelocity impacts through the reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels of the Wing Leading Edge. Fiberglass was used in place of RCC in the initial tests. Impact damage was detected using lightweight, low power instrumentation capable of being used in flight.

Gorman, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Hypervelocity Impact (HVI): WLE High Fidelity Specimen Fg(RCC)-2 - Volume 6

During 2003 and 2004, the Johnson Space Center's White Sands Testing Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico conducted hypervelocity impact tests on the space shuttle wing leading edge. Hypervelocity impact tests were conducted to determine if Micro-Meteoroid/Orbital Debris impacts could be reliably detected and located using simple passive ultrasonic methods. The objective of Target Fg(RCC)-2 was to study hypervelocity impacts through the reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels of the Wing Leading Edge. Fiberglass was used in place of RCC in the initial tests. Impact damage was detected using lightweight, low power instrumentation capable of being used in flight.

Gorman, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Sunspot: A program to model the behavior of hypervelocity impact damaged multilayer insulation in the Sunspot thermal vacuum chamber of Marshall Space Flight Center

The development of a computer program to predict the degradation of the insulating capabilities of the multilayer insulation (MLI) blanket of Space Station Freedom due to a hypervelocity impact with a space debris particle is described. A finite difference scheme is used for the calculations. The computer program was written in Microsoft BASIC. Also described is a test program that was undertaken to validate the numerical model. Twelve MLI specimens were impacted at hypervelocities with simulated debris particles using a light gas gun at Marshall Space Flight Center. The impact-damaged MLI specimens were then tested for insulating capability in the space environment of the Sunspot thermal vacuum chamber at MSFC. Two undamaged MLI specimens were also tested for comparison with the test results of the damaged specimens. The numerical model was found to adequately predict behavior of the MLI specimens in the Sunspot chamber. A parameter, called diameter ratio, was developed to relate the nominal MLI impact damage to the apparent (for thermal analysis purposes) impact damage based on the hypervelocity impact conditions of a specimen.

Rule, W. K.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Computing Effects Of Hypervelocity Impacts On A Spacecraft

MLITEMP computer program is design software tool utilizing empirical equations to predict damage and thermal effects of impacts of hypervelocity particles on spacecraft. Three different techniques used: "inverse-R" prediction, polynomial-function prediction, and nondimensional-parameter prediction. Written in BASIC.

Rule, William K.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Hypervelocity Impact (HVI): WLE Small-Scale Fiberglass Panel Flat Target C-1 - Volume 3

During 2003 and 2004, the Johnson Space Center's White Sands Testing Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico conducted hypervelocity impact tests on the space shuttle wing leading edge. Hypervelocity impact tests were conducted to determine if Micro-Meteoroid/Orbital Debris impacts could be reliably detected and located using simple passive ultrasonic methods. The objective of Target C-1 was to study hypervelocity impacts on the reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels of the Wing Leading Edge. Fiberglass was used in place of RCC in the initial tests. Impact damage was detected using lightweight, low power instrumentation capable of being used in flight.

Gorman, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Hypervelocity impact survivability experiments for carbonaceous impactors

We performed a series of hypervelocity impact experiments using carbon-bearing impactors (diamond, graphite, fullerenes, phthalic acid crystals, and Murchison meteorite) into Al plate at velocities between 4.2 and 6.1 km/s. These tests were made to do the following: (1) determine the survivability of carbon forms and organize molecules in low hypervelocity impact; (2) characterize carbonaceous impactor residues; and (3) determine whether or not fullerenes could form from carbonaceous impactors, under our experimental conditions, or survive as impactors. An analytical protocol of field emission SEM imagery, SEM-EDX, laser Raman spectroscopy, single and 2-stage laser mass spectrometry, and laser induced fluorescence (LIF) found the following: (1) diamonds did not survive impact at 4.8 km/s, but were transformed into various forms of disordered graphite; (2) intact, well-ordered graphite impactors did survive impact at 5.9 km/sec, but were only found in the crater bottom centers; the degree of impact-induced disorder in the graphite increases outward (walls, rims, ejecta); (3) phthalic acid crystals were destroyed on impact (at 4.2 km/s, although a large proportion of phthalic acid molecules did survive impact); (4) fullerenes did not form as products of carbonaceous impactors (5.9 - 6.1 km/s, fullerene impactor molecules mostly survived impact at 5.9 km/s; and (5) two Murchison meteorite samples (launched at 4.8 and 5.9 km/s) show preservation of some higher mass polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) compared with the non-impacted sample. Each impactor type shows unique impactor residue morphologies produced at a given impact velocity. An expanded methodology is presented to announce relatively new analytical techniques together with innovative modifications to other methods that can be used to characterize small impact residues in LDEF craters, in addition to other acquired extraterrestrial samples.

Bunch, T. E.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Hypervelocity Impact (HVI): Tile Small Targets A-1, Ag-1, B-1, and Bg-1 - Volume 8

During 2003 and 2004, the Johnson Space Center's White Sands Testing Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico conducted hypervelocity impact tests on the space shuttle wing leading edge. Hypervelocity impact tests were conducted to determine if Micro-Meteoroid/Orbital Debris impacts could be reliably detected and located using simple passive ultrasonic methods. The objective of Targets A-1, Ag-1, B-1, and Bg-1 was to study hypervelocity impacts on the reinforced Shuttle Heat Shield Tiles of the Wing. Impact damage was detected using lightweight, low power instrumentation capable of being used in flight.

Gorman, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS1971

An analytical and experimental study of the behavior of semi-infinite metal targets under hypervelocity impact

The material strength and strain rate effects associated with the hypervelocity impact problem were considered. A yield criterion involving the second and third invariants of the stress deviator and a strain rate sensitive constitutive equation were developed. The part of total deformation which represents change in shape is attributable to the stress deviator. Constitutive equation is a means for analytically describing the mechanical response of a continuum under study. The accuracy of the yield criterion was verified utilizing the published two and three dimensional experimental data. The constants associated with the constitutive equation were determined from one dimensional quasistatic and dynamic experiments. Hypervelocity impact experiments were conducted on semi-infinite targets of 1100 aluminum, 6061 aluminum alloy, mild steel, and commercially pure lead using spherically shaped and normally incident pyrex projectiles.

Chakrapani, B.↗