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

Increasing demands on the design criteria of space craft components have dr iven efforts to develop advanced space debris ground simulation techniques suitable to be incorporated into a space environmental effects chamber. A l aser 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 an d contamination generated by impact with a 3mm diameter, 3 micron thick alu minum particle accelerated to 4.5 km/s, were looked at. Scanning electron m icroscopy, optical microscopy, and spectrophotometry were used to measure t he mechanical damage and the loss of solar transmission. Because of the lim ited number of impact tests made in this initial study a quantitative analy sis was not possible. However, much insight was obtained from the observed damage. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.