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Technical Paper

Enhanced Softgoods Structures for Spacesuit Micrometeriod/Debris Protective Systems

1992-07-01
921258
Based on recently revised space debris environment estimations for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) altitudes, the level of Micrometeoroid/Debris (M/D) protection afforded by the current Shuttle space suit layup may not be sufficient for application to the Space Station Freedom Program. Enhanced M/D protection could be incorporated through the use of a flexible multi-hull Thermal Micrometeoroid Garment (TMG) based on advanced fabric material layups. A lightweight, flexible TMG design for enhanced space suit M/D protection would potentially consist of an outer layer or “shield” comprised of Orthofabric, multi-layers of aluminized Mylar and a layer of silicone rubber loaded with micron sized particles of tungsten. The second layer or “backup sheet” would be comprised of a layer(s) of a fabric material such as Spectra (UHMWPE). The shield layers would fragment and/or vaporize the M/D projectile while the backup sheet would stop the resultant debris cloud.
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