Novel Orbital Debris Protection of Spacecraft

轨道碎片对空间飞行安全构成重大威胁-由于碰撞所涉及的速度非常高，平均约为9公里/秒，即使是很小的颗粒也可能损坏、降解或摧毁航天器。拟议研究计划的目的是开展微流星体和轨道碎片（MMOD）领域的研究工作。轨道碎片的密度急剧增加，这对加拿大空间资产构成了日益严重的破坏性威胁。由于这些资产的重要性及其制造和部署的高昂成本，这对加拿大来说是一个战略和经济问题。由于投资的规模（如雷达卫星星座使命方案的1.1亿美元合同），加拿大航天局（加空局）已将新的防御技术确定为加拿大航天部门的一个关键战略优先事项。需要改进碎片撞击建模方法（包括材料、几何和数字模型），以便卫星供应商能够研究新的屏蔽结构并预测其在撞击应力下的性能。这将允许生产寿命更长的更耐用的航天器，最终延长加拿大未来航天任务的功能持续时间，造福于所有加拿大人，这项研究计划的主要目标是提高我们对MMOD影响过程的理解。这样做，预计将开发出更准确的撞击行为模型，这对于卫星界开发更好的屏蔽和更耐用的卫星部件设计将是非常宝贵的。考虑到超高速撞击现象的复杂性和各种可能的保护解决方案，这项工作将需要结合对屏蔽结构的超高速撞击的数值和实验研究，以充分了解物理过程并显示所用模拟模型和方法的准确性。拟议的计划将解决一般航天器设备的保护问题，并将重点关注复合材料外包装压力容器的保护。当压力容器因空间碎片撞击而丧失结构完整性而发生爆炸性故障时，会对设备造成重大损害，并产生大量新的空间碎片。HQP将参与工作的各个方面，包括物理实验和详细的数值模型开发。HQP还将有机会与经验丰富的卫星工程师互动，以更好地了解该行业在卫星设计方面面临的实际问题。除了新的HQP，加拿大航天部门将受益于拟议计划的研究成果，这将影响未来的卫星设计，并提高其在行业内的竞争力。

Orbital debris poses a significant threat to space flight safety - even small particles can damage, degrade, or destroy spacecraft due to the very high velocities involved in a collision, which average about 9 km/s. The purpose of the proposed research program is to pursue research efforts in the field of Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD). There has been a dramatic rise in the density of orbital debris and this represents an ever-growing destructive threat to Canadian space assets. This is a strategic and economic concern for Canada due to the importance of these assets and the high cost associated with their manufacture and deployment. Due to the size of investments (such as $110 million dollar contract for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission program), Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has identified new defensive technologies as a key strategic priority for the Canadian space sector. Methods for debris impact modeling (which will include material, geometrical, and numerical models) need to be advanced in order to allow satellite vendors to investigate new shield configurations and predict their performance under impact stress. This will allow production of more durable space vehicles with longer lifespans that will ultimately prolong the functional duration of future Canadian space missions to the benefit of all Canadians.The primary objective of this research program is to improve our understanding of MMOD impact processes. In so doing, it is expected to develop more accurate models of impact behavior which would be invaluable to satellite community to develop improved shielding and more durable satellite component designs. Considering the complex nature of hypervelocity impact phenomena and the variety of possible protection solutions, this work will require a combination of numerical and experimental study of hypervelocity impact on shield configurations to fully understand the physical processes and show the accuracy of the simulation models and methods used. The proposed program will address the protection of general spacecraft equipment, and will additionally focus on protection of composite overwrapped pressure vessels. When a pressure vessel fails explosively due to the loss of structural integrity from an impact of space debris, it can cause major damage to the equipment and a considerable amount of new space debris is created. HQP will be involved in all aspects of the work, including physical experiments and detailed numerical model development. HQP will also have the opportunity to interact with experienced satellite engineers to gain a better appreciation of the practical concerns faced by the industry with respect to satellite design. In addition to new HQP, Canadian space sector will benefit from the research outcomes of the proposed program, which will impact future satellite designs and increase their competitiveness within the industry.