CERAMIC SHIELDS FOR SATELLITE PROTECTION AGAINST HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT

IN THIS EFFORT, FOSTER-MILLER PROPOSES TO EXAMINE A TRULY INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR PROTECTING SATELLITES AGAINST DEBRIS PARTICLES OR OTHER PROJECTILES TRAVELING AT HYPERVELOCITIES OF 5 TO 20 KM/SEC. TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS APPROACH, WE WILL CONDUCT A PHASE I PROGRAM INVOLVING BOTH HYPERVELOCITY TESTING AND ANALYSIS. OUR PHASE I TEAM INCLUDES WELL-KNOWN AND RECOGNIZED EXPERTS IN BOTH OF THESE AREAS. THIS INTRIGUING APPROACH USES A CERAMIC IN CONJUNCTION WITH METALLIC MATERIALS WHICH SERVE AS "FRAGMENTORS" TO DESTROY THE PROJECTILE AS IT IMPACTS THE SHIELD. THIS MATERIAL ACTS AS A DUAL MODE, DEBRIS-FRAGMENTING COMPOSITE TO DISINTEGRATE THE PARTICLE AND DISPERSE IT HARMLESSLY. INCLUDED IS THE POTENTIAL FOR ENHANCED STRUCTURAL SURVIVABILITY THROUGH THE USE OF CELLULAR CONSTRUCTION. A MAJOR BENEFIT IS THREAT ADAPTABILITY - THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE VARIABLE PROTECTION LEVELS TO MEET AN EVOLVING THREAT. MOREOVER, THE MATERIALS CONCEPT IS APPLICABLE TO TRUE STANDOFF BUMPER SHIELDS OR APPLIQUES. THE ANALYSIS TASK INCLUDES MATERIAL PREDESIGN EFFORT (SHIELD MICROMECHANICAL DESIGN) AS WELL AS SHIELD CONFIGURATION DESIGN AND, IF APPROPRIATE, SIMULATION USING THE PC-BASED HYDROCODE ZEUS. EXPERIMENTAL EFFORT INCLUDES TWO HYPERVELOCITY TESTS TO PROVIDE TESTS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CONCEPT FEASIBILITY. THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF AN APPROACH TO TAKE MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE OF THE CAPABILITIES OF CERAMICS AND THEIR COMPOSITES, WHILE MINIMIZING THEIR DISADVANTAGES. THESE MATERIALS POSSESS HIGHER MODULUS AND ARE MORE DENSE THAN ALUMINUM, AND BOTH OF THESE FACTORS ARE PARTICULARLY ADVANTAGEOUS IN THE HYPERVELOCITY ENVIRONMENT. MOREOVER, THEIR HIGH HARDNESS MAY ASSIST IN FRAGMENTING DEBRIS. A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM COULD RESULT IN CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED LEVELS OF PROTECTION FOR BOTH MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL SPACECRAFT.