Multilayered hypervelocity impact shield for spacecraft

摘要

A hypervelocity impact shield assembly (10) for protecting a spacecraft surface (12) from hypervelocity impactors. The shield assembly (10) includes at least one sacrificial impactor disrupting/shocking layer (16) of hypervelocity impactor disrupting/shocking material. A primary spacing element (18), including space-rated open cell foam material, is positioned between the at least one sacrificial impactor disrupting/shocking layer (16) and a spacecraft surface (12). a cover member (20) is arranged and disposed relative to the sacrificial impactor disrupting/shocking layer (16) and the primary spacing element (18) to maintain the integrity of the hypervelocity impact shield assembly (10). In the event of exposure to a hypervelocity impactor, the sacrificial impactor disrupting/shocking layer (16) is perforated while shocking the impactor breaking it into fragments, and/or melting it, and/or vaporizing it, thus providing a dispersion in the form of an expanding debris cloud/plume which spreads the impact energy of the impactor over a volume formed by the primary spacing element (18) between the sacrificial impactor disrupting /shocking layer (16) and the spacecraft surface. This significantly reduces impact lethality ar the spacecraft surface (12). The space-rated open cell foam material provides an extremely lightweight, low-cost, efficient means of spacing and supporting the at least one sacrificial impactor disrupting/shocking layer (16) before, during, and after launch. In a preffered embodiment, the invention is in the form of a multi-shock assembly including a plurality of sacrificial impactor disrupting/shocking layers. In such instance, the hypervelocity impact shield assembly (10) includes a plurality of secondary spacing elements. Each secondary spacing element is positioned adjacent an associated sacrificial impactor disrupting/shocking layer (16) to form a multi-shock subassembly. Thus, a plurality of multi-shock subassemblies are provided which include alternating layers of sacrificial impactor disrupting/shocking layers (16) and secondary spacing elements (30,32,34).