Samples Returned From Mars Will be Protected by a Micrometeorite Shield universetoday storybywill
To simulate impacts, the lab employs a series ofto accelerate objects to the point where they have the same impact velocity as micrometeorites and orbital debris. The first stage uses gunpowder as a propellant, while the second stage pushes highly compressed hydrogen gas into a smaller tube to increase pressure inside the gun. The RHTL is equipped with four guns in total, including two 0.17-caliber , a 0.50-caliber , and a 1-inch diameter gun.
For the sake of their experiment, the team used the lab’s mid-sized 2-stage light gas gun that shoots pellets in the .50 caliber range at speeds of over 8 km/s . The experiment took three days to set up but only one second to conduct . The gun’s pressure gets so high during tests that it would level the entire building if one of the guns were to explode. For this reason, Sarli and his colleagues monitored the experiment from the safety of a bunker nearby.
Since micrometeorites travel six to seven times as fast in space, the team relies on computer models to simulate the actual velocities of micrometeorites. Meanwhile, the slower rate tests the computer model’s ability to simulate impacts on their shield and allows the team to study how the material reacts to the kinetic energy. As we get closer to the launch date of the Mars Sample Return mission , the team will continue to run impact experiments and gather data on their shield design.
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