Change of electrical potential of spacecraft induced by a hyper-velocity impact of space debris

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25630397
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Aerospace engineering
• Research Institution: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
• Principal Investigator: SASAKI Susumu 独立行政法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 名誉教授 (00092221)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TANAKA Koji 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 准教授 (90321570) ; MAKI Kenichiro 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 助教 (50392121)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 超高速衝突 / 電位変動 / 電磁波放射 / 衝突プラズマ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Electrical phenomena induced by hyper velocity impact has been extensively studied using a two-stage light gas gun at ISAS/JAXA. We measured the potential change of the target, the electromagnetic radiation by antennas, the impact plasma by double probes, the images by a high-speed camera, and the photo emission by optical detectors. We measured the intensity and polarization of the radiated electromagnetic waves. The potential variation of the target was observed simultaneously with the impact flash. However, the electro-magnetic waves were detected several ten microseconds after the hyper-velocity impact, which is one of the new findings. The results of our study will be used to predict the electrical effects associated with the space debris/meteoroids impacts on spacecraft structure.

Free Research Field

宇宙エネルギー工学