The Space Shuttle Columbia Accident Investigation Board recommended that NASA develop, validate, and maintain a modeling tool capable of predicting the damage threshold for debris impacts on the Space Shuttle Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) wing leading edge and nosecap assembly. The results presented in this paper are one part of a multi-level approach that supported the development of the predictive tool used to recertify the shuttle for flight following the Columbia Accident. The assessment of predictive capability was largely based on test analysis comparisons for simpler component structures. This paper provides comparisons of finite element simulations with test data for external tank foam debris impacts onto 6-in. square RCC flat panels. Both quantitative displacement and qualitative damage assessment correlations are provided. The comparisons show good agreement and provided the Space Shuttle Program with confidence in the predictive tool.


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    Title :

    Test-Analysis Correlation for Space Shuttle External Tank Foam Impacting RCC Wing Leading Edge Component Panels


    Contributors:
    K. H. Lyle (author)

    Publication date :

    2008


    Size :

    23 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English







    ANALYSES OF FOAM IMPACT ONTO THE COLUMBIA SHUTTLE WING LEADING EDGE PANELS USING PRONTO3D/SPH

    Gwinn, K. W. / Metzinger, K. E. / American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2004


    Dynamic Impact Tolerance of Shuttle Orbiter Wing Leading-Edge Panels

    Fasanella, Edwin L. / Jackson, Karen E. / Lyle, Karen H. et al. | AIAA | 2008