Protecting the Space Shuttle from Meteoroids and Orbital Debris (1997) / Chapter Skim
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2 Risk to the Orbiter and Crew
2 Risk to the Orbiter and Crew
Pages 7-18
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From page 7... ...
Table 2-1 uses NASA's meteoroid model and computer-based orbital debris environment model for spacecraft design and observations in low Earth orbit (ORDEM96) to predict the number of collisions with objects of various sizes during a single shuttle mission and during the lifetime of the shuttle fleet.
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From page 9... ...
Orbital debris typically causes significantly more damage to a given surface or component than similar-sized meteoroids, primarily because denser objects that are less dispersed by a high-velocity initial impact are better able to punch through spacecraft surfaces and components.
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From page 10... ...
The momentum of the impact can cause impulsive damage, including bending and buckling of structural components and the transmission of a traveling shock wave through the spacecraft's structure and components (NRC, 1995~. Depending on the size of the hole and the amount of energy released into a pressurized area (such as the shuttle crew cabin or a Spacelab module)
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From page 11... ...
The space shuttle orbiter subsystems were designed and located to minimize the likelihood that a single failure would cause or coincide with secondary damage to redundant systems. For example, major electrical buses and their associated wiring are separated to a large extent.
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From page 13... ...
Most of the components located in the mid-fuselage are located below a payload bay liner, which covers the major frames When the payload bay doors are open on orbit, the sill longerons and cable trays, which run the full length of both sides, still provide some measure of protection for the pressure vessels and other components below them. Payloads carried in the payload bay can also provide shielding for these areas.
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From page 15... ...
The main engine nozzles and the thermal shields mounted around them to protect equipment in the aft bay from radiant heating and low pressure backflow during space shuttle main engine operations provide additional protection. The body flap is an aluminum structure with no internal systems.
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From page 16... ...
The remaining loop could perform satisfactorily under reduced power conditions, but, because of the absence of further redundancy in the coolant system, Me shuttle flight rules require that the orbiter termunate its mission activities and make the earliest possible return to the primary landing site. A noncatastrophic penetration of a pressurized volume, such as the crew cabin or a Spacelab, would also probably result in early termination of the mission.
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From page 17... ...
(NASA calculates that the harder areas of the space suit contribute less than 10 percent of the overall risk.) The soft areas of the suit are constructed of multiple layers of abrasion and thermal protection material and a single pressure bladder.
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From page 18... ...
1994. Critical Function Redundant Wire Routing Separation Review.
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