Accession Number:

ADA455598

Title:

Pegasus Satellite Measurements of Meteoroid Penetration (Feb 16 - July 20, 1965)

Descriptive Note:

Technical memo.

Corporate Author:

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION HUNTSVILLE AL GEORGE C MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

Personal Author(s):

• Naumann, Robert J.

Report Date:

1965-12-01

Pagination or Media Count:

24.0

Abstract:

The Pegasus satellites deploy 200 m squared of three thicknesses of A1 instrumented to detect punctures resulting from meteoroid impingement. The determination of three points on a frequency of penetration vs. thick ness of aluminum curve for thicknesses approaching useful spacecraft skin is directly applicable to spacecraft design problems. The design and operation of the meteoroid experiment is discussed briefly. The results are seen to essentially agree with ground-based predictions for the thicker materials, and with other satellite measurements for the thinnest material. Also, some temporal variations in frequency are observed and possible correlations of these variations with known showers are investigated.

Descriptors:

• *SPACECRAFT
• *ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES
• *METEOROIDS
• THICKNESS
• IMPINGEMENT
• SKIN(STRUCTURAL)
• GROUND BASED
• PENETRATION

Subject Categories:

• Unmanned Spacecraft

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE