Catastrophic failure of stored energy modules following orbital debris penetration

Joel E. Williamsen; Charles J. Goodwin

doi:10.1117/12.256055

31 October 1996 Catastrophic failure of stored energy modules following orbital debris penetration

Joel E. Williamsen, Charles J. Goodwin

Proceedings Volume 2813, Characteristics and Consequences of Orbital Debris and Natural Space Impactors; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.256055
Event: SPIE's 1996 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1996, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

The population of dangerous orbital debris particles in low Earth orbit is growing, resulting in a need for improved risk assessment and risk management of critical space station elements from this hypervelocity impact threat. The effects of micrometeoroid and orbital debris (M/OD) penetration on space station equipment can very from a local damage problem to a possible catastrophic system failure (i.e., crew or station loss). Given this possibility, a preliminary study was undertaken by Meyer Analytics and NASA-MSFC to quantify and reduce the likelihood of catastrophic failure following orbital debris penetration of two Russian supplied modules: the FGB Energy Block module and the SPP-1 gyrodyne module. Each of these modules contains stored energy in the form of chemical propellants (UDMH), high pressure tanks, or kinetic energy (gyrodynes) that may release energy and propagate damage to the rest of the space station if impacted by a sufficiently energetic orbital debris particle. The study recommended design improvements to lower these probabilities, including spall blankets around the gyrodynes to lower the probability of gyrodyne penetration and fragment damage given gyrodyne rupture.

Citation Download Citation

Joel E. Williamsen and Charles J. Goodwin "Catastrophic failure of stored energy modules following orbital debris penetration", Proc. SPIE 2813, Characteristics and Consequences of Orbital Debris and Natural Space Impactors, (31 October 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.256055

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
10 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Failure analysis

Particles

Clouds

Chemical elements

Information operations

Analytics

Control systems

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years