Impact test characterization of carbon-carbon composites for the thermoelectric space power system

Thirty-eight unique carbon-carbon composite materials of cylindrical architecture were fabricated by commercial vendors for evaluation as alternative impact shell materials for the modular heat source of the thermoelectric space power system. Characterization of these materials included gas gun impact tests where cylindrical specimens containing a mass simulant were fired at 55 m/s to impact a target instrumented to measure force. The force versus time output was analyzed to determine: peak force, acceleration, velocity, and displacement. All impact tests exhibited an equivalence between preimpact momentum and measured impulse. In addition, energy was conserved based on a comparison of preimpact kinetic energy and measured work. Impact test results showed that the currently specified material provided impact energy absorption comparable to the best alternatives considered to date