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Potential space debris shield structure using impact-initiated energetic materials composed of polytetrafluoroethylene and aluminum.
- Source :
-
Applied Physics Letters . 3/7/2016, Vol. 108 Issue 10, p101903-1-101903-4. 4p. 2 Color Photographs, 2 Black and White Photographs, 1 Diagram, 1 Chart, 2 Graphs. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- A whipple shield using Al/PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) energetic material to protect against space debris is presented. The hypervelocity impact characteristics were investigated experimentally using a two-stage light gas gun at velocities between 3 and 6 km/s. A good protection of the shield was obtained through comparative experiments which used the same bumper areal density. The results showed that the critical projectile diameter can be improved by 28% by contrast with the Christiansen ballistic limit equations. The Al/PTFE energetic material bumper can break up the projectile into smaller, less massive, and slower projectiles due to the combined effect of impact and explosion, thereby producing a sharp rise in the spacecraft protection ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *SPACE debris
*POLYTEF
*ALUMINUM
*HYPERVELOCITY
*VELOCITY
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00036951
- Volume :
- 108
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Applied Physics Letters
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 113741547
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4943584