Simulated space debris impact experiments on toughened laminated thin solar cell cover glass

Increasing demands on the design criteria of space craft components have driven efforts to develop advanced space debris ground simulation techniques suitable to be incorporated into a space environmental effects chamber. A laser driven flyer method suitable in such a chamber was used to conduct an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal of impact engineering Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 811 - 821
Main Authors Roybal, Robert, Tlomak, Pawel, Stein, Charles, Stokes, Headley
Format Journal Article Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.1999
Elsevier Science
Subjects
Applied sciences
Exact sciences and technology
Mechanical engineering. Machine design
Space debris
Laminate
Crater
Glass
Experimental study
Solar cell
Simulation
Space vehicle components
SEM
Measurement method
Resins
Impact test
Mechanical shock
Damaging
Interferometry
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Summary:Increasing demands on the design criteria of space craft components have driven efforts to develop advanced space debris ground simulation techniques suitable to be incorporated into a space environmental effects chamber. A laser driven flyer method suitable in such a chamber was used to conduct an initial investigation of space debris impact on a new toughened solar cell coverglass material. Damage characteristics, including mechanical damage and contamination generated by impact with a 3mm diameter, 3 micron thick aluminum particle accelerated to 4.5 km/s, were looked at. Scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and spectrophotometry were used to measure the mechanical damage and the loss of solar transmission. Because of the limited number of impact tests made in this initial study a quantitative analysis was not possible. However, much insight was obtained from the observed damage.
ISSN:0734-743X
1879-3509
DOI:10.1016/S0734-743X(99)00126-8