Whipple Bumper Shield Simulations [Book Chapter]

Conference · Sun Nov 17 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Shock Compression of Condensed Matter–1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-444-89732-9.50229-6· OSTI ID:5533346

Hertel, Eugene S. ^[1]; Chhabildas, Lalit C. ^[1]; Hill, Scott A. ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, AL (United States)

The Whipple bumper is a space shield designed to protect a space station from the most hazardous orbital space debris environment. A series of numerical simulations has been performed using the multi-dimensional hydrodynamics code CTH to estimate the effectiveness of the thin Whipple bumper design. These simulations are performed for impact velocities of ~ 10 km/s which are now accessible by experiments using the Sandia hypervelocity launcher facility. For a ~ 10 km/s impact by a 0.7 gm aluminum flier plate, the experimental results indicate that the debris cloud resulting upon impact of the bumper shield by the flier plate, completely penetrates the sub-structure. The CTH simulations also predict complete penetration by the subsequent debris cloud.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5533346
• Report Number(s): SAND--91-1227C; CONF-9107105--45; ON: DE91014896
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Shock Compression of Condensed Matter–1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103* -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
42 ENGINEERING
420500 -- Engineering-- Materials Testing
ALUMINIUM
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF STATE
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
IMPACT TESTS
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL TESTS
MECHANICS
MEETINGS
METALS
PLATES
PROJECTILES
SHIELDS
SIMULATION
SPACE VEHICLES
TESTING
VEHICLES
VELOCITY