Exterior cables on the International Space Station are exposed for routing and maintenance
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Peer-reviewed literature documents that data wire cable runs are a significant presence on the exterior of the International Space Station and require detailed reliability assessments.
Abstract Data wire cable runs are a significant presence on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS), and continued ISS mission support requires detailed assessment of cables due to micrometeoroid and orbit debris (MMOD) impact. These data wire cables are twisted-pair cables consisting of two 22 gauge stranded conductors inside a tight-fitting, braided-copper shield and jacket having a nominal outer diameter of 3.76 mm. Previous work has documented a total of 97 impact experiments that were performed into these cables to develop an empirical, statistical model for the failure of these cables in reliability studies; however, the experimental work left open the internal behaviors that contribute to the probabilistic findings. To address this shortcoming, numerical impact simulations have been performed to expand the understanding of the acquired dataset. This paper summarizes the dependence of impact location and speed to the penetration of wire jackets based upon particle size and provides an empirical ballistic limit equation based on the assumption that exposed conductors may lead to a short circuit. This work is consolidated with the previous experimental work for design and reliability assessments to cover projectile types, speeds and obliquities.
Abstract Data wire cable runs are a significant presence on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS), and continued ISS mission support requires detailed assessment of cables due to micrometeoroid and orbit debris (MMOD) impact. These data wire cables are twisted-pair cables consisting of two 22AWG stranded conductors and fillers inside a tight fitting braided copper shield. The copper shield and its contents are covered with a jacket that has a nominal outer diameter of 3.76 mm and beta-cloth tape. The ISS engineering community has identified two loss-of-function mechanisms for these cables: open circuits due to severed conductors within the cable, and short circuits due to contact between conductors or grounded components. As these data cables are low power systems, short circuits are not expected to burn away the contact, so both open and short circuits are considered permanent loss-of-function for the cable. A total of ninety-seven impact experiments have been performed into these cables to develop a statistical model for the failure of these cables to be used in reliability studies. The experimental work has yielded cumulative distribution functions for these cables for steel and aluminum components of the orbital debris environment at representative speeds and impact obliquities.
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