A plasma drag hypervelocity particle accelerator (HYPER)

Current debris models are able to predict the growth of the space debris pr oblem and suggest that spacecraft must employ armor or bumper shields for s ome orbital altitudes now and that the problem will become worse as a funct ion of time. The practical upper limit to the velocity distribution is on t he order of 40 km/s and is associated with the natural environment. The vel ocity distribution of the man-made component peaks at 9-10 km/s with maximu m velocity in the 14-16 km/s range. Experience in space has verified that t he "high probability of impact" particles are in the microgram to milligram range. These particles can have very significant effects on coatings, insu lators, and thin metallic layers. The surface of thick materials becomes pi tted and the local debris component is enhanced by ejecta from the impact e vents. In this paper, the HYPER facility is described which produces a reas onable simulation of the man-made space debris spectrum in a controlled env ironment. The facility capability is discussed in terms of drive geometry, energetics, velocity distribution, diagnostics, and projectile/debris loadi ng. The facility has been used to study impact phenomena on Space Station F reedom's solar array structure, the calibration of space debris collectors, other solar array materials, potential structural materials for use in the space, electrical breakdown in the space environment, and as a means of cl arifying or duplicating the impact phenomena on surfaces which have been ex posed in space. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.