Main areas and results of work to protect the ISS Russian segment from meteoroids and space debris

The task of ensuring the space station safe operation in conditions of growing pollution of the near Earth space by so called space debris has become especially crucial in development of the International Space Station (ISS). In the initial ISS assembly phase a difference in the approaches of the main Project Partners (NASA and RSC Energia) to safety assurance associated with the impact of space debris was identified. Due to fruitful cooperation between the project managers and specialists general safety requirements for protection against meteoroids and space debris were formulated, and the main technical solutions meeting these requirements were found. This article provides a review of the main issues encountered while designing the Russian module shields, as well as resolutions and results. The evaluated options of on-orbit hardening of the Service Module shielding, and a stepwise implementation of the selected option are described. Presented are design concepts of other Russian Segment modules and transport vehicles shielding structures, and calculation results of major safety indicators when exposed to meteoroids and space debris obtained as a results of implementation of the developed shielding means.