Analysis Results of Microparticles Capturer Experiment Samples on Service Module

摘要

Three identical units of the microparticles capturer and space environment exposure device were deployed on the exterior of the Russian service module on the International Space Station. The microparticles capturer is a passive experiment unit used to capture space dusts (micrometeoroids and microdebris), and three materials (silica aerogel, polyimide foam covered with polyimide film, and aluminum plates) were mounted. This paper summarizes the analysis results of the microparticles capturer on service module experiment samples, presents information about captured dusts, and discusses the origin of micron-size particles captured by the microparticles capturer on service module aerogels. The results show that there are many types of space dusts on the International Space Station orbit, and identification of their origin is extremely important for spacecraft designing.