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Meteoroid bumper experiment on Explorer 46

Donald H. Humes

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Abstract

An experiment on the Explorer 46 spacecraft has provided the first accurate measurements of the effectiveness of a meteoroid bumper in reducing meteoroid penetrations. The bumper reduced the penetration flux by a factor of 30 and demonstrated a weight savings of a factor of 6.9 in the material need to resist meteoroid penetration. The method of calculating the penetration flux recommended in the NASA space vehicle design criteria for meteoroid damage assessment was found to be very conservative, and changes have been suggested. The optimum distribution of material between a bumper and the main wall is discussed.

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An experiment on the Explorer 46 spacecraft has provided the first accurate measurements of the effectiveness of a meteoroid bumper in reducing meteoroid penetrations. The bumper reduced the penetration flux by a factor of 30 and demonstrated a weight savings of a factor of 6.9 in the material need to resist meteoroid penetration. The method of calculating the penetration flux recommended in the NASA space vehicle design criteria for meteoroid damage assessment was found to be very conservative, and changes have been suggested. The optimum distribution of material between a bumper and the main wall is discussed.

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Available abstract

An experiment on the Explorer 46 spacecraft has provided the first accurate measurements of the effectiveness of a meteoroid bumper in reducing meteoroid penetrations. The bumper reduced the penetration flux by a factor of 30 and demonstrated a weight savings of a factor of 6.9 in the material need to resist meteoroid penetration. The method of calculating the penetration flux recommended in the NASA space vehicle design criteria for meteoroid damage assessment was found to be very conservative, and changes have been suggested. The optimum distribution of material between a bumper and the main wall is discussed.

Key concepts: Meteoroid, Penetration (warfare), Flux (metallurgy), Astrobiology, Forensic engineering, Materials science, Physics, Engineering

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