80NSSC17K0043

The activities proposed in this effort are to complete the characterization of debris fragments resulting from the DEBRISAT and DEBRISLV hypervelocity impact (HVI) experiments conducted in 2014.

In an effort to minimize damage to the generated debris fragments during these HVI experiments, a soft-catch arena was utilized between the test articles and the walls of the test chamber. The soft-catch arenas were identical for both HVI experiments and consisted of layers of low, medium, and high density foam panels arranged radially along the test chamber walls, as well as upstream and downstream of the test article.

Post-HVI experiments, all debris within the test chamber were carefully collected and shipped to the University of Florida for processing and fragment characterization. Processing involves the collection and cataloging of all loose and embedded fragments with at least one linear dimension 2 mm and larger. Characterization involves the determination of each fragment's mass, size (characteristic length, average cross-sectional area, volume), shape, material content, color, and associated metadata (e.g. multiple images of the fragment, foam panel from which the fragment was retrieved, etc.).

To ensure the integrity of the generated dataset (e.g. minimize variances due to operators) and due to the large number of fragments to be characterized, automated and batch-processing approaches will be implemented. In addition, processes for continued improvements in efficiency will be developed, tested, and implemented.

University Of Florida

THE ACTIVITIES PROPOSED IN THIS EFFORT ARE TO COMPLETE THE CHARACTERIZATION OF DEBRIS FRAGMENTS RESULTING FROM THE DEBRISAT AND DEBRISLV HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT (HVI) EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED IN 2014. IN AN EFFORT TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE TO THE GENERATED DEBRIS FRAGMENTS DURING THESE HVI EXPERIMENTS A SOFT-CATCH ARENA WAS UTILIZED BETWEEN THE TEST ARTICLES AND THE WALLS OF THE TEST CHAMBER. THE SOFT-CATCH ARENAS WERE IDENTICAL FOR BOTH HVI EXPERIMENTS AND CONSISTED OF LAYERS OF LOW MEDIUM AND HIGH DENSITY FOAM PANELS ARRANGED RADIALLY ALONG THE TEST CHAMBER WALLS AS WELL AS UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE TEST ARTICLE. POST-HVI EXPERIMENTS ALL DEBRIS WITHIN THE TEST CHAMBER WERE CAREFULLY COLLECTED AND SHIPPED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOR PROCESSING AND FRAGMENT CHARACTERIZATION. PROCESSING INVOLVES THE COLLECTION AND CATALOGING OF ALL LOOSE AND EMBEDDED FRAGMENTS WITH AT LEAST ONE LINER DIMENSION 2 MM AND LARGER.CHARACTERIZATION INVOLVES THE DETERMINATION OF EACH FRAGMENT S MASS SIZE (CHARACTERISTIC LENGTH AVERAGE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA VOLUME) SHAPE MATERIAL CONTENT COLOR AND ASSOCIATED METADATA (E.G. MULTIPLE IMAGES OF THE FRAGMENT FOAM PANEL FROM WHICH THE FRAGMENT WAS RETRIEVED ETC.). TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF THE GENERATED DATASET (E.G. MINIMIZE VARIANCES DUE TO OPERATORS) AND DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF FRAGMENTS TO BE CHARACTERIZED AUTOMATED AND BATCH-PROCESSING APPROACHES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED. IN ADDITION PROCESSES FOR CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFICIENCY WILL BE DEVELOPED TESTED AND IMPLEMENTED.

43.009 - Safety, Security and Mission Services

Shared Services Center (NSSC) [NASA]

Gainesville, Florida 32611-0001 United States

Single Zip Code

NOT APPLICABLE

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 06/30/22 to 01/01/27 and the total obligations have increased 1499% from $233,328 to $3,732,040.