NASA Langley Research Center
Hampton, Virginia

Materials

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Responsible Parties: Page Content: William H. Kinard Page Construction: Thomas H. See

The increase in the mission duration was catastrophic for many of the thin-film specimens and thermal-control blankets on the leading edge. Pre-flight material selection included Kapton blankets with thicknesses estimated to be able to withstand a flight of about twice the planned ten-month duration. Aluminized Kapton on the AO076 (row 9) and AO054 (row 10) experiments completely failed after the polymer was removed by atomic oxygen. Thin specimens of weather balloon materials were likewise destroyed.

Kapton on the AO133 experiment, located on the space end, was eroded but not completely removed. Post-flight analysis by the Grumman Corporation indicated a recession rate of 1.7 x 10^-24 cm³/atom on this material. The accepted recession rate for Kapton is 3 x 10^-24 cm³/atom. The lower value for this experiment may be due to the fact that the atomic oxygen impinged on the spacecraft surface at a glancing angle in this case.

This summary of thin polymeric films is from the report Analysis of Materials Flown on the Long Duration Facility: Summary of Results of the Materials Special Investigation Group, Boeing Defense and Space Group, NASA CR, May 1995.

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