Abstract
There is a need for more faithful simulation of space debris impacts on various space vehicles. Space debris impact velocities can range up to 14 km/sec and conventional two-stage light gas guns with moderately heavy saboted projectiles are limited to launch velocities of 7–8 km/sec. Any increases obtained in the launch velocities will result in more faithful simulations of debris impacts. It would also be valuable to reduce the maximum gun and projectile base pressures and the gun barrel erosion rate. In this paper, the results of a CFD study designed to optimize the performance of the NASA Ames 0.5″ gun by systematically varying seven gun operating parameters are reported. The optimum set of changes in gun operating conditions were predicted to produce an increase in muzzle velocity of 0.7 – 1.0 km/sec, simultaneously with a substantial decrease in gun erosion. Preliminary experimental data have validated the code predictions.
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