Study of quartz glass defects under the influence of high-speed micro-particles on portholes

The operation of any spacecraft is associated with the danger of accidental collisions with the so-called space debris and the bombardment of various microparticles (meteorites). Both the MIR spacecraft and the International Space Station (ISS) have detected traces of impacts of meteorite microparticles in the form of fracture defects on the surface of quartz glass windows. To assess the danger of these defects, research is being carried out to find criteria for assessing the residual strength of quartz glass. In the defect zone, five destruction subzones were identified, the analysis of which shows that the 3rd and 4th subzones are dangerous stress concentrators. A method has been found for assessing the impact energy of microparticles from the morphology of defects. The impact energy was determined for a defect with a diameter of 2.5 mm, obtained on the window No. 13 of the ISS. Tab. 2, ill. eight.