Hypervelocity impact equivalence analysis and simulation over 10km/s

Paper number

IAC-11,A6,3,15,x11987

Author

Mr. Xiaotian Zhang, Beihang University, China

Coauthor

Prof. Guanghui Jia, Beihang University, China

Coauthor

Prof. Huang Hai, China

Year

2011

Abstract

With the increasing exploration of space the higher reliability is required. The on-orbit safety of spacecraft is becoming a more important issue than ever in the past. Space debris bring the largest threaten to spacecraft, therefore shield is designed and installed over the key part of the spacecraft to protect it against the impact of space debris. The average of impact speed of space debris on spacecraft is 11-12km/s. However, with the current experiment limit the largest impact speed that the on ground hypervelocity impact facility can provide for reliable analysis is 8-10km/s. Therefore effective experimental method is very limited for impact speed larger than 10km/s. Numerical simulation analysis method always needs experiment for calibration, although the simulation of impact over 10km/s can be done but without strong experimental support, the simulation result is not very convinced. 
In this article the equivalence of hypervelocity impact below 10km/s is first studied with simulation technique. Feasibility is discussed of converting high velocity impact problem of aluminum equivalently into low velocity impact problem of low density, low melting temperature material. Simulation model of single bumper shield and Whipple shield are built with the two material scenarios, and results are compared from the aspects of stress contour, profile of debris cloud and debris evolution. The analysis shows that with some constrain conditions the equivalences of the two material scenarios can be formed.
Based on the equivalence, the simulation is extended to higher impact speed. Low density, low melting temperature material with impact speed under 10km/s is simulated to equivalently substitute aluminum impact over 10km/s. Results of the equivalent simulation method and directly aluminum simulation (over 10km/s) are compared, and the differences and similarities are discussed. The work of this paper provides a new way for spacecraft shield impact analysis over 10km/s.

Abstract document

IAC-11,A6,3,15,x11987.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-11,A6,3,15,x11987.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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