Orbital debris impact damage to reusable launch vehicles

In an effort by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), h ypervelocity impact tests were performed on thermal protection systems (TPS ) applied on the external surfaces of reusable launch vehicles (RLV) to det ermine the potential damage from orbital debris impacts. Three TPS types we re tested, bonded to composite structures representing RLV fuel tank walls. The three heat shield materials tested were Alumina-Enhanced Thermal Barri er-12 (AETB-12), Flexible Reusable Surface Insulation (FRSI), and Advanced Flexible Reusable Surface Insulation (AFRSI). Using this test data, predict or equations were developed for the entry hole diameters in the three TPS m aterials, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.69 to 0.86. Possible methods are proposed for approximating damage occurring at expected orbita l impact velocities higher than tested, with references to other published work. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.