Degradation of Spacecraft Materials in the Space Environment
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Examples of Degradation International Space Station
Spacecraft Materials in the Space Environment Sharon K.R. Miller and Bruce Banks
Abstract When we think of space, we typically think of a vacuum containing very little matter that lies between the Earth and other planetary and stellar bodies. However, the space above Earth’s breathable atmosphere and beyond contains many things that make designing durable spacecraft a challenge. Depending on where the spacecraft is flying, it may encounter atomic oxygen, ultraviolet and other forms of radiation, charged particles, micrometeoroids and debris, and temperature extremes. These environments on their own and in combination can cause degradation and failure of polymers, composites, paints and other materials used on the exterior of spacecraft for thermal control, structure, and power generation. This article briefly discusses and gives examples of some of the degradation experienced on spacecraft and flight experiments as a result of the space environment and the use of ground and space data to predict durability.
Introduction Each mission into space poses its own challenges with regard to spacecraft durability. Materials that are used on the outside of spacecraft are chosen to serve a specific function to enable the spacecraft to regulate heat, generate power, or support other important components. Each mission is unique in not only the types of materials that are selected for use but also the environment that they will encounter during flight. Spacecraft designers must take into account not only the physical and mechanical properties of the materials with regard to their intended function but also what the expected properties will be at the end of the mission due to degradation by the environment to which they will be subjected. Because spacecraft are used often for exploration and discovery to unknown environments, the first indication of an environmental problem is usually through experiencing a change in hardware conditions or performance as observed through telemetry, system failure, or observation of degradation on
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retrievable flight hardware. Our first detailed knowledge of the Earth’s orbital environment effects on spacecraft and associated hardware, especially that caused by atomic oxygen, came from the early Shuttle missions.1 What we learn about other planetary and galactic environments will most likely also be through direct experience. Most of our focus to date has been associated with the environment above Earth’s breathable atmosphere where the International Space Station (ISS), Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and satellites operate, but our knowledge of this environment and experience in developing flight experiments, ground tests, and correlations will enable a better prediction of performance in other environments beyond Earth. This article focuses on some of the degradation that has been observed in Earth’s orbit and what spacecraft designers have done and are doing to enable spacecraft to survive and to predict performance for fu
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