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Last Update: February 10, 1998
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Experiment Title: Thermal Control Coatings Experiment
Original Principal Investigator(s): Guillaumon, Dr. Jean-Claude - Invest. Role: Original, Scialdone, Dr. John J. - Invest. Role: Present, Paillous, Dr. Alain - Invest. Role: Present, Paillous, Dr. Alain - Invest. Role: Original, Guillaumon, Dr. Jean-Claude - Invest. Role: Present,
Experiment Description:In order to assess the degradation of themo-optical properties of coating used on satellites, a space environment simulation is needed. To develop accurate simulation techniques, space data are needed. Spacecraft materials are exposed to the various components of the natural space environment: vacuum, atomic oxygen, UV sun radiation, ionizing particle fluxes, micrometeoroids. Other environment elements which are due to spacecraft operations have also to be considered: thermal cycling on board, contamination by molecular products and dust, debris, etc. All these components, acting alone or synergisticially, are deleterious in their effects on materials. Therefore the degradation which was experienced in space has to be predicted by space environment simulation tests to be carried out on ground. These tests must be simple (addressing only the most dangerous environment elements) and they must give reliable data in accelerated conditions. It is difficult to perform such a task in the laboratory because the simulation involves good vacuum, temperature programming, and irradiation by ultraviolet light and particles. In most cases, caution must be used in interpreting the results because it is impossible to obtain light sources with a spectrum similar to that of the Sun and also because accelerated tests are generally used. A comparison of degradation obtained in the laboratory with degradations obtained in space would be very valuable.
Associated Tray(s) Tray Location: N. A. - Orientation: N. A.Photograph Classification: None
Associated Photograph(s):
LaRC - None
KSC - None
JSC - None
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