SwRI: Spacecraft impact testing simulates orbital debris impacts

	Simulated ISCL projectile (hollow cylinder positioned on rod) and the resulting damage to a 38-mm-thick plate of 3003 aluminum

A variety of testing and analysis capabilities to support the government and the commercial space industry are available at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI).

Under NASA sponsorship, SwRI developed the Inhibited Shaped Charge Launcher (ISCL), a unique facility that launches aluminum projectiles with masses between 0.3 and 1.5 grams to velocities of more than 11 km/s. This system simulates orbital debris impact conditions on the Space Station and has been used to test and qualify numerous shield designs. A 2-stage light-gas gun is available for simulating a micrometeoroid impact or small orbital debris impacts.

	Foam impact test on Space Shuttle wing

Finite element and hydrocode computer codes are used to simulate low-velocity impacts through hypervelocity impacts for design and analysis purposes. Fracture analysis of pressurized modules has been conducted and supplemented by high strain rate materials testing. SwRI is internationally recognized for experimental and analytical impact studies against the Space Shuttle's thermal protection systems and wing leading edge.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes are used to simulate fuel release and mixing during failure (on-pad and in-flight) scenarios. Hydrocodes are used to simulate detonation of fuel plumes, resulting over-pressure, and fragment formation in support of crew escape studies.

	Computer simulation of foam impact on RCC panel leading edge

Spacecraft Impact Testing Capabilities

• Ballistics testing

• Explosives testing

• Materials testing, including high strain rate testing

• High-speed digital video capture of impacts up to 100 million frames per second

• Nicolet Multipro© high-speed data acquisition up to 200 MHz

• Test fixture fabrication, machining, and welding

• ISO-compliant QA

• Computer simulation of impact and structural response

• Projectile design

• Sabot design

	Typical hypervelocity impact crater in a Space Shuttle windshield panel, showing central crater and circumferentially located microcrack ensembles
	Space Shuttle tile that has been impacted with a piece of the insulation material from the external tank
	ISCL facility during a test

Spacecraft Impact Testing Experience

• NASA Space Station orbital debris shield impact testing

• Hypervelocity impacts on a wide variety of space components and materials

• Simulated hailstone impacts on Space Shuttle thermal protection tiles

• External tank foam impacts on Space Shuttle components including thermal protection tiles, reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels on the wing leading edge, and carrier panels

• Scale-modeling analyses of ballistic missile defense impact scenarios

• Hypervelocity impact modeling of spacecraft shields and lightweight armors

• Development of velocity scaling concepts for DOD and NASA to extrapolate design curves

• Characterization of impact damage to Space Shuttle windows

• Detailed damage assessments

• Development of damage maps

• Orbital Space Shuttle explosive hazard environment

Spacecraft Impact Testing Facilities

• Ballistics and explosives test ranges

• Materials test laboratories

• Inhibited shaped charge launcher facility, 0.3 to 1.5 grams of aluminum to 11+ km/s

• Two-stage light-gas gun

• Portable instrumentation trailer

• Flash X-ray systems with film processing capability

• Machine shops, fabrication facilities, and materials laboratories

• Compressed gas gun systems for low-velocity impact (hailstones, foam, etc.)

Ballistics and Explosives Range

For more information about spacecraft impact testing capabilities at SwRI or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Donald J. Grosch at dgrosch@swri.org or (210) 522-3176.