Space Shuttle debris and meteoroid impacts Original Research Article

This paper describes observations and analyses of meteoroid and debris impact damage to the Space Shuttle Orbiter over the past decade. Since 1992, NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter post-flight inspection procedures have been altered to allow systematic identification and sampling of meteoroid/debris impacts in selected areas of the vehicle. These areas include the crew module windows and radiator panels that line the interior of the payload bay doors. In addition, other significant impact damage is identified and sampled on other critical surfaces or exposed structures such as wing leading-edge panels, external thermal-protection materials, radiator interconnect lines, and Ku-band antenna components. Samples of the impact damage are obtained and subjected to scanning electron microscope energy dispersive X-ray analysis to determine elemental composition of impactor materials recovered from the impact site. Based on these results, the source of the impact damage is categorized as meteoroid or debris, and debris particle types are identified. Historical trends indicate a large variability in debris impact rates from mission-to-mission with higher impact rates than average occurring more regularly since 1998. Predictions of post-flight damage are compared to observed damage using BUMPER code and as-flown attitude timelines.