Whipple Shields

Whipple Shields are a type of spacecraft shielding designed to protect against micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) impacts. They consist of two layers of thin metal separated by a layer of Kevlar or other high-strength fabric. When an MMOD particle impacts the outer layer, it vaporizes and creates a plasma cloud that spreads out and is absorbed by the inner layer, which is designed to be thick enough to stop the plasma. Whipple Shields are named after their inventor, Fred Whipple, who developed the concept in the 1940s. They are commonly used on spacecraft that operate in low Earth orbit, where the risk of MMOD impacts is high.

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Whipple Shields

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