The influence of hypervelocity particle impacts on shuttle orbiter window residual strength

The residual biaxial flexural strength of samples cored from shuttle orbiter windows impacted by hypervelocity micrometeorites was measured, and related to the depth of the impact crater. Results show that the current NASA prediction for hypervelocity impact (HVI) model is significantly conservative. This apparently is due to the fact that the assumed geometry of the critical defect geometry used in the model differs significantly from that of the actual defect ensemble associated with an HVI site.