# Experimental hypervelocity impacts: Implication for the analysis of material retrieved after exposure to space environment

Jean-Claude Mandeville, Jean-Marie Perrin, Loïc Vidal

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Jean-Claude Mandeville, Jean-Marie Perrin, Loïc Vidal. Experimental hypervelocity impacts: Implication for the analysis of material retrieved after exposure to space environment. Acta Astronautica, 2020, 167, pp.429-439. 10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.11.020. hal-03753279

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Submitted on 5 Aug 2025

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# EXPERIMENTAL HYPERVELOCITY IMPACTS: IMPLICATION FOR THE ANALYSIS OF MATERIAL RETRIEVED AFTER EXPOSURE TO SPACE ENVIRONMENT

## Part II. Impacts on brittle targets

Jean-Claude Mandeville<sup>a</sup>, Jean-Marie Perrin<sup>b</sup>, Loïc Vidal<sup>c</sup>

a. MANDESPACE 8 rue des Régans 31000 Toulouse France

b. Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP) CNRS UMS 3470
04870 Saint Michel l'Observatoire France

SPACENVIR Observatoire de Haute Provence

c. Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M) CNRS UMR 7361

15 rue Jean Starcky BP2488 68057 Mulhouse France

## Abstract

During the last three decades a wide variety of surfaces have been brought back to Earth after being exposed to the space particulate environment. The impact features found on these surfaces can give clues to the characteristics of the orbital debris and meteoroids that created them. Many investigations have been carried out to derive projectile parameters (size, shape, impact angle, origin) from the morphology of impact features and the analysis of projectile their remnants inside the crater. However, there are still some ambiguities in the interpretation of these results. In this study we have investigated carefully the distinguishing features for craters caused by the impact of high velocity iron particles on thick brittle targets, using a micro-particle accelerator. Up to date instrumentation, SEM and EDX, and in depth results analysis provides an extensive data-set that can be used to improve the scientific return of the investigation of material retrieved after exposure to space.

**Key words:** Meteoroids, orbital debris, hypervelocity impact, SEM, EDX, brittle material.

## 1. Introduction

Space environment is hostile to spacecraft [1,2,3]. Threats come from its components and among them meteoroids and space debris. It is therefore vital to understand the damage they can cause and to take adequate measures to design spacecraft that resist their degrading effects. Accurate debris and meteoroid flux models are crucial for the design of manned and unmanned space missions. For particles sizes smaller than a few millimetres, data on the environment can only gained by in-situ detectors, hardware retrieved after exposure to space