Due to the brittle nature of the RCC SiC coating, the effect of meteoroid and orbital debris impact damage on the thermal and structural performance of the RCC is of serious concern. Meteoroids and man-made orbital debris represent a source of hypervelocity impact damage to spacecraft structures.

This panel was impacted at approximately 7 km/sec. with aluminum projectiles that range in size from 15/64" to 5/16" in diameter. The experimental data allows for a correlation of projectile size to hole size through the top leading edge of the panel, and secondary damage to the front and back face of bottom leading edge of the panel.