Kinetics of the Embedding of a High-Speed Striker upon Collision with a Protective Screen

Abstract

Screen protection of spacecraft from a high-speed elongated striker, which is equivalent to the most dangerous pieces of space debris, has been investigated. The kinetics of the penetration of an elongated striker into the barrier after passing through the screen protection has been analyzed. It has been shown that the efficiency of destabilization of an elongated high-speed striker on metal screens is determined by the partial evaporation of the striker and the screen interacting at speeds of 7–8 km/s.