Hypervelocity Impact (Hvi). Volume 4; Wle Small-Scale Fiberglass Panel Flat Target C-2

During 2003 and 2004, the Johnson Space Center's White Sands Testing Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico conducted hypervelocity impact tests on the space shuttle wing leading edge. Hypervelocity impact tests were conducted to determine if Micro-Meteoroid/Orbital Debris impacts could be reliably detected and located using simple passive ultrasonic methods. The objective of Target C-2 was to study impacts through the reinforced carboncarbon (RCC) panels of the Wing Leading Edge. Fiberglass was used in place of RCC in the initial tests. Impact damage was detected using lightweight, low power instrumentation capable of being used in flight. Gorman, Michael R. and Ziola, Steven M. Langley Research Center GLASS FIBERS; HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT; LEADING EDGES; PANELS; TARGETS; WINGS; SPACE SHUTTLES; CARBON-CARBON COMPOSITES; TEST FACILITIES; ACOUSTIC EMISSION; SIGNAL TRANSMISSION; ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE TRANSMISSION; WAVE PROPAGATION; KINETIC ENERGY; IMPACT TESTS; WAVEFORMS; IMPACT VELOCITY