Space debris population in low Earth orbit has been increasing constantly with the increase in spacecraft missions. Hypervelocity space debris impacts limit the functionality of polymeric outer surfaces and, in extreme cases, might cause a total loss of a spacecraft. In this work, the fracture of Kapton films by ultrahigh velocity impacts was studied. A laser-driven flyer ground simulation system was used to accelerate aluminium flyers to impact velocities as high as 2.9 km/s against polymer films with different thicknesses. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the fracture morphology. Impact effects on the internal structure of the polymer were studied by means of X-ray microtomography. It was found that with an increase in debris velocity, a ductile-to-brittle transition occurred. However, fractures created by impacts at velocities above 1.7 km/s showed central impacts regions, which experienced the highest strain rate and were of ductile-type fracture, while the outer regions, which experienced a lower strain rate, failed through brittle cracking. A model explaining this phenomenon, based on the temperature gradient developed within the impacted region during collision, is presented.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    The effect of simulated hypervelocity space debris on polymers


    Additional title:

    Der Einfluss von simulierten, extrem schnellen Weltraumtrümmern auf Polymere


    Contributors:
    Verker, R. (author) / Eliaz, N. (author) / Gouzman, I. (author) / Eliezer, S. (author) / Fraenkel, M. (author) / Maman, S. (author) / Beckmann, F. (author) / Pranzas, K. (author) / Grossman, E. (author)

    Published in:

    Acta Materialia ; 52 , 19 ; 5539-5549


    Publication date :

    2004


    Size :

    11 Seiten, 10 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 23 Quellen




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




    Hypervelocity space debris testing

    Roybal, Robert / Tlomak, Pawel | AIAA | 1997


    GROUND SIMULATION OF HYPERVELOCITY SPACE DEBRIS IMPACTS ON POLYMERS

    VERKER, R. / GROSSMAN, E. / ELIAZ, N. et al. | Springer Verlag | 2006


    Ground Simulation of Hypervelocity Space Debris Impacts on Polymers

    Verker, R. / Grossman, E. / Eliaz, N. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006


    POSS-polyimide nanocomposite films: Simulated hypervelocity space debris and atomic oxygen effects

    Verker, R. / Grossman, E. / Gouzman, I. et al. | Tema Archive | 2008


    Numerical Simulation of Hypervelocity Space Debris Impact

    Erzincanli, Belkis / Eken, Ali / Eken, Seher | IEEE | 2023