Re-examination of electrical failure risk on satellite's power harnesses caused by space debris impacts: simultaneous measurements of sustained discharge and plasma density

Impacts of space debris smaller than 1 mm can cause fatal damage to a satellite's power system through impact-induced, permanent sustained discharge (PSD). This study re-examines the risk of electrical failure on the bundle of satellite power harnesses using more realistic experimental configurations than in previous studies. In the two-stage light gas gun experiment, the simulated debris particles made of stainless steel (0.3 mm and 0.5 mm in diameter) were impacted at 4 km/s and 7 km/s on a three-layered harness specimen composed of hot and return lines. As a result, PSD did not occur in a typical satellite's power configuration in low Earth orbit. However, the power condition of 100 V/3.0 A was found to be a threshold for PSD. It was also suggested that a critical range of impact strength, which could control the distance between discharge electrodes, exists for PSD on the satellite power harnesses.