A Study Of Aluminum Bumper Thickness Effect On Damage Of Whipple Shield Under Hypervelocity Impacts

Paper number

IAC-07-A6.4.02

Author

Dr. Gongshun Guan, Harbin Institute of Technology, China

Year

2007

Abstract

The Whipple bumper shield was the first system developed to protect space structures against Meteoroids and Orbital Debris, and it is still extensively adopted. The protection efficiency of single-shield bumpers made of Al-plate based on thickness of bumper and space between bumper and back-wall is prominence. In particular, the thickness of bumper is an important part effect on impact damage extent of the rear wall. Therefore, optimizing thickness of bumper should be considered.

In order to simulate and study the high-velocity impact of space debris on spacecrafts through high-velocity impact on Al-Whipple shield, a two-stage light gas gun with non-powder projection were used to launch Al-sphere projectiles. Thickness of bumper is 0.1cm and thickness of rear wall is 0.3cm, and thickness of witness is 0.17cm. Simultaneity, space between bumper and rear wall is 10cm. Space between real wall and witness is also 10cm. Impact velocity of Al-spheres is 2.33km/s and 4.36km/s. Damage mode of bumper and rear wall of Al-Whipple shield at 2.33km/s and 4.36km/s were obtained. In this experiment, an Al-plate was used as witness plate, and the maximum depth of fragment craters on the witness plate is taken as a protection characteristic of shields made of different bumper thickness.

In this paper, by experiment of hypervelocity impact on the Al-Whipple shield by Al-spheres, and fitting curves with experiment results, the law of penetration hole diameter and leading factors effect penetration hole diameter in bumper from hypervelocity impact, and the law of damage in the rear wall from hypervelocity impact and leading factors effect damage in rear wall from hypervelocity impact were proposed. As the thickness of bumper increasing, the penetration hole diameter of bumper and the maximum diameter of cratered area on the rear wall increased but there is a limit hole diameter, and the impact damage at center of the rear wall mitigated but diameter of greater cratered area increased. Therefore, there is an optimized thickness of bumper.

Abstract document

IAC-07-A6.4.02.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-A6.4.02.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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