Key parameters governing the ground risk from reentering pressure vessel debris

Abstract

The present study discusses the state of the art concerning the multitude of aspects contributing to or inhibiting the aerothermal demise of various types of spacecraft pressure vessel designs. The respective impacts of the parent spacecraft's entry trajectory, the structural integration and subsequent separation of the pressure vessel during break-up, the tank's physical characteristics and in-flight aerodynamics are examined. Special attention is given to the role of key material properties governing the surface heating interface and demise behaviors as observed in past and recent experimental activities, such as the surface emissivity and catalysis. The extraction of relevant material properties from ground experiments is outlined and values presented for materials of relevance to typical spacecraft pressure vessel designs.Based on the aggregated findings of this work as well as previous studies, a parametric study of pressure vessel demise is conducted with an emphasis on a realistic representation of heating conditions. The study concludes with a critical assessment of the most notorious issues preventing pressure vessel demise and potential pathways towards their resolution.