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Last Update: February 10, 1998
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Experiment Title: Multiple-Foil Microabrasion Package
Original Principal Investigator(s): McDonnell, Dr. J.A.M. - Invest. Role: Original, McDonnell, Dr. J.A.M. - Invest. Role: Present, Ashworth, D.G. - Invest. Role: Original, Carey, W.C. - Invest. Role: Original, Flavill, R.P. - Invest. Role: Original, Jennison, R.C - Invest. Role: Original,
Experiment Description:Microfoil penetration techniques have been successfully employed as space
particulate detectors since the beginning of space exploration. A number of
the early Explorer satellites, the Ariel II, and three Pegasus satellites
measured meteoroid penetrations in near-Earth space. These in-space
penetration measurements, in addition to providing spacecraft design data, were
used with existing ground-based radar and visual meteor data to extend size
estimates of the near-Earth meteoroid environment to particles as small as
approximately 10 ng. They offer high sensitivity of detection and yet are
rugged and simple.
Other early U.S. and Russian spacecraft used microphone type meteoroid
detectors to measure small-particle impact fluxes. The microphone data
indicated a small-particle population much greater than that indicated by the
penetration measurements. The microphone data were, in fact, interpreted by
some to indicate a dust belt around the Earth. Difficulties in simulating
meteoroid impacts in the laboratory created a number of uncertainties in
interpreting both the microphone and penetration early measurements in terms of
the near-Earth meteoroid environment. Data on the near-Earth meteoroid
environment have also resulted from analysis of the lunar-material samples
obtained during the Apollo Program. The analysis of craters on the lunar
material in terms of the meteoroid environment is limited by the facts that the
craters occurred over a very long period of time (100,000 to 1,000,000 years)
and the exact exposure time is uncertain.
Taking advantage of the now recoverable and improved very sensitive thin- foil
penetration detectors, this experiment will make a substantial step toward the
elimination of a number of the remaining uncertainties in the estimates of the
near-Earth micrometeroid environment. In a very cost- effective way, the
experiment will provide both design data regarding the erosion of spacecraft by
microparticles and data on the near-Earth micrometeroid environment.
Photograph Classification: Prelaunch
Associated Photograph(s):
LaRC - L84-07015
KSC - KSC-384C-15.01
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-13407
KSC - KSC-390C-1030.09
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10416
KSC - None
JSC - S32-77-065
LaRC - L91-09090
KSC - KSC-390C-1558.02
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10451
KSC - None
JSC - S32-78-100
LaRC - L84-07005
KSC - KSC-384C-14.03
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-13490
KSC - KSC-390C-1069.10
JSC - None
LaRC - L84-07093
KSC - KSC-384C-221.11
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10502
KSC - None
JSC - S32-89-052
LaRC - L90-13439
KSC - KSC-390C-1033.09
JSC - None
LaRC - L84-07068
KSC - KSC-384C-193.10
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10454
KSC - None
JSC - S32-82-006
LaRC - L91-15678
KSC - KSC-390C-2065.07
JSC - None
LaRC - L92-21191
KSC - None
JSC - S32-S-284
LaRC - L84-06997
KSC - KSC-384C-8.04
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10336
KSC - None
JSC - S32-75-060
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