Space Debris Impact Protection

Abstract

Protection against impacts from space debris and meteoroids is now routine in the design of manned spacecraft, and is becoming increasingly so for unmanned spacecraft. Commonly considered solutions for improving protection include: the addition of multibumper shields; the modification of sandwich panels; the enhancement of multilayer insulation; and the use of toughened/laminated glass. A brief summary of each of these concepts is provided. Layers of high‐strength, lightweight materials, such as Nextel™ and Kevlar™, are observed to be particularly effective forms of shielding. The ability of a spacecraft wall or shield to prevent debris penetration is usually characterized by a ballistic limit equation. A parametric form of the equation is given for both a single wall and a multiple wall. Such equations are an important element of an impact risk analysis, providing a means to determine the probability of no failure of a spacecraft. This measure of risk enables a designer to quantify the adequacy of a given protection strategy for a spacecraft. The risk analysis computation is explained and a risk assessment procedure is given. Finally, some general guidelines for enhancing spacecraft debris protection are listed.