Performance of Whipple shields at impact velocities above 9 km/s

Ballistic limit curves Aluminum spheres Critical particle diameter Rear wall damage a b s t r a c t The results of 18 impact tests performed on Whipple shields were compared to the predicted ballistic limits of the shields in the region where the impact velocity of the threatening particle was high enough to produce melting and incipient vaporization of the particle. Ballistic limit equations developed at NASA Johnson Space Center were used to determine nominal failure thresholds for two configurations of all-aluminum Whipple shields. In the tests, 2017-T4 aluminum spheres with diameters ranging from 1.40 to 6.35 mm were used to impact the shields at impact velocities ranging from 6.94 to 9.89 km/s. Two different aluminum alloys were used for the rear walls of a simple Whipple shield. The results of 13 tests using these simple Whipple shields showed they offered better-than-predicted capability as impac