Experimental investigation into catastrophic failure of pressure vessels due to hypervelocity impact

The threat of hypervelocity impacts from the meteoroid/orbital debris environment has been a concern for spacecraft designers since the early days of orbital flight. With the development of the International Space Station Alpha and its unprecedented size and mission duration coupled with the increasing orbital debris flux, the probability of impact is high in relation to past spacecraft. This probability of impact leads to a need for quantifying the survivability of the International Space Station given a penetration. A large factor in determining this survivability is to ascertain whether a hypervelocity impact from an orbital debris particle will result in a catastrophic failure in which rapid crack propagation will occur. This effort conducts a hypervelocity impact test program to investigate the structural response of a thin walled, shielded pressure vessel to an orbital debris impact.; Detailed surveys of existing fracture mechanics tools and hypervelocity impact data are conducted and show that this problem has not been adequately addressed. In response, a systematic hypervelocity impact test program is conducted to provide insight into impact induced failure due to rapid crack propagation. Thirty-nine hypervelocity impact tests are conducted and the results are presented. Of these tests, seventeen are performed against dual-wall flat aluminum sheet targets, twelve against shielded, unpressurized aluminum vessels and ten on shielded, aluminum gas filled vessels. The pressure vessel tests are the highest fidelity targets representative of spacecraft design conducted to date.; The results of the shielded, aluminum gas filled vessel tests are coupled with previously performed tests and subjected to fracture analyses. The data is then examined to determine implications for assessing spacecraft survivability.; It is concluded that the International Space Station is not at risk to suffer a catastrophic failure given the expected orbital debris environment.