Experimental evidence of rapid target charging electromagnetic pulse from hypervelocity impact

Abstract

Hypervelocity impacts pose a risk to spacecraft electronics due to their creation of a plasma and possible electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Experiments were performed at the NASA Ames Vertical Gun Range to study hypervelocity impact plasmas that contained non-vaporized ejecta, potentially forming a dusty plasma. Some of these impacts were performed on charged targets, simulating spacecraft charging, with the voltage recorded during the impact. In experiments, target voltage change and evidence of electrostatic discharge on the target occurred concurrently with an EMP measured by antennas. This suggests correlation between target charging from hypervelocity impacts and measured EMPs. We analyze the recorded target charging dynamics and explore the relationship between the target voltage change, plasma dynamics, and measured EMPs to better understand the risk hypervelocity impacts pose to spacecraft electronics.