The Development of Laser-Driven Flyer System and Research on Micron Space Debris Impact Effects

A system for launching flyer using a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser with flattop appearance beam has been developed for simulating space debris impact effects. Flyer targets consisted of a layer of aluminium film and an ablation layer deposited on a circular fused silica substrate by ion beam sputtering method. The velocities of flyer were obtained by laser no-contact velocity measurement apparatus. Using this facility, three kinds of outer surface functional material of spacecraft, OSR, fused silica and white paint, have been experimented for studying their proper ties changes under space debris impact. The results showed that OSR thermal radiation properties had obvious degradation, white paints had only a little change, and the optical transmittance of fused silica nearly half decreased.