Study on Protection of Space Structure from Micrometeoroid Impact

为模拟微流星体对空间站等空间结构的超高速撞击，研制了一台等离子体加速器，并在10 km/s的撞击速度下进行了试验。随着碰撞速度的增加，要求增加保险杠板的厚度和主墙与保险杠之间的间隙。为了减轻防护结构的重量和减小防护结构的间隙距离，对由高、低冲击阻抗材料组成的双层缓冲板进行了试验研究。0.5用100毫米的玻璃珠作为微流星体的模型。这种大小的珠子已经被加速到13.8公里/秒。这个值是世界纪录。对由2024铝合金和铜组成的双层缓冲板进行了试验。结果表明，由前铝合金和后铜组成的缓冲器在大于10 km/s的冲击速度下具有很高的防护能力，但由于铜的密度较高，不适合作为空间站的结构材料，陶瓷材料被认为是一种密度较轻的高冲击阻抗材料。下一阶段的研究将对铝合金和氧化铝组成的新型保险杠进行测试。

For the hypervelocity impact simulation of micrometeoroids on the space station and other space structures, a plasma accelerator was constructed and tested over the impact velocity of 10 km/s.The effective protection structure is the dual element shield structure. It is required to increase of thickness of the bumper plate and gap between main wall and bumper with increasing impact velocity. A double layer bumper plate consisted of high and low shock impedance materials were tested for reducing weight and gap distance of the protection structure. 0.5 mm glass beads were used as a model of micrometeoroids. This size of beads has been accelerated up to 13.8 km/s.This value is the world record. The double layered bumper plates consisted of 2024Al alloy and copper were tested. It was found thated protection ability of the bumper consisted of front aluminum alloy and rear-copper is very high in the case higher than 10 km/s impact velocity.Since copper density is high, usage of this material as space station structure is not suitable.Ceramics have been considered as light density and high shock impedance materials. The new type bumper consisted of aluminum alloy and aluminum oxide will be tested on the next phase study.