Ballistic limit analysis of aluminum 5A06 single wall plate subjected to hypervelocity impact

The increasing space debris have made serious threat to safe operation of spacecrafts in orbit. Shielding of millimeter-size space debris has been a problem must be considered in design of spacecraft structure. Skin of spacecraft is usually considered as the most basic shield structure against hypervelocity impact of space debris. Numerical simulation combined with experiment validation was adopted to investigate the ballistic limit of aluminum 5A06 single wall plate, 5 mm in thickness, subjected to normal impact of aluminum 2A12 spherical projectile. Simulation results agreed well with experiments within the test velocity range. Thus numerical simulation was used to expand to higher velocities and the ballistic curve as well as equation was obtained. Comparison between numerical results, in association with experiments, and empirical equation indicated that the ballistic limit from empirical equation has remarkable difference in that of actual materials under research. As a result, specific analysis must be performed in order to provide basis for engineering design of space debris shield structure for spacecrafts.