The Laser-driven Flyer System for Space Debris Hypervelocity Impact Simulations

The Laser-driven flyer (LDF) technique is showing promiseful in simulating micro meteoroids and orbital debris (M/OD) hypervelocity impacting effects. LDF system with a single pulses from a $Q$-switched Nd: glass laser, of 15 ns duration and up to 20J energy, launched the aluminum films of 5 $\mu $m thickness up to 8.3km/s velocity was developed in \textit{Beijing Institute of Spacecrafts Environment Engineering(BISEE), CAST.} The quantitative relationships between the flyer velocity and the laser energy, the width of laser pulse, the diameter of laser focal spot, and the flyer thickness were analyzed, according to Lawrence-Gurney model, and compared with the experimental results. Some experimental aspects in our efforts on the space debris Hypervelocity impacts on the outer surfaces functional material, such as the thermal control material, window glass, and OSR etc., are reviewed. Though still developing, the Laser-driven flyer technique has been demonstrated promise in simulating micro M/OD hypervelocity impacting effects.