Significance of Photographic Meteor Data in the Design of Meteoroid Protection for Large Space Vehicles
Abstract
Described herein are the method of obtaining photographic meteor data in the mass range of 10 sub -2 to 10 sub 0 gram and the treatment of these data to provide useful engineering relations for protecting large space vehicle components against meteoroid impact. The assumptions needed to convert these data to meteoroid masses and densities are discussed, and the effects of these assumptions on design relations are shown. The inferred nature and values of meteoroid density, mass, and velocity are described, and an internally consistent meteoroid mass flux model is introduced for the photographic meteoroid range. Earth shielding factors as a function of satellite altitude are presented for use with the proposed model. Values of average meteoroid density and average meteoroid velocity relative to the Earth at the Earth's atmosphere lower than values previously used are indicated by an analysis of the available photographic meteor data. Photographic meteor astronomy is shown to be a significant source of data in describing the meteoroid hazard in space.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- ADA397252
Entities
People
- Nestor Clough
- Seymour Lieblein
Organizations
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration