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Experiment Title: Space Environment Effects on Spacecraft Materials

Original Principal Investigator(s): Schall, Paul - Invest. Role: Original, Meshishnek, Dr. Michael J. - Invest. Role: Present, Meshishnek, Dr. Michael J. - Invest. Role: Present, Meshishnek, Dr. Michael J. - Invest. Role: Present,

Data on materials for unmanned NASA and DOD spacecraft have been valuable, but are limited to those items that can be monitored remotely. Causes of failures or performance degradation can often only be inferred from the telemetered data. The Gemini and Apollo missions included some materials experiments. The return of components from the Surveyor III lunar lander also provided interesting data. The NASA Skylab missions contained a thermal control materials experiment; however, the early Skylab problems resulted in contamination that affected results. Although data from unmanned spacecraft will continue to be used to evaluate the performance of materials in space, the LDEF adds a new dimension to space experiments.

The LDEF provided experimenters with an opportunity to recover specimens that have been exposed for long periods in space. One of the most comprehensive materials experiments on board LDEF, M0003, was integrated by the Aerospace Corporation Materials Sciences Laboratory as principal investigator, and consisted of 19 subexperiments from the Aerospace Corporation Laboratories, DoD laboratories and contractor organizations and is designed to study the effects of the space environment on a large variety of spacecraft materials and components, both current and developmental. Many of the materials on M0003 are not considered advanced, but are in use on current satellite systems. Others are baseline materials against which performance improvements are measured. Thus, the response of these samples is important in updating the models for prediction of exposure effects and lifetime performance. An Industrial Advisory Group was formed to advise Space Systems Division (SSD) (at that time SAMSO) on the selection of materials for this experiment. Funding was obtained from SSD, Aerospace Mission Oriented Investigation and Experimentation (MOIE) resources and from the DoD Space Test Program, managed by SSD/CLI. The typical approach for the selection of materials for use in spacecraft involved laboratory testing and limited measurements in space. Although many materials appear to be satisfactory for a variety of applications, there is insufficient knowledge of the physical and optical properties of these materials after long periods in space. Laboratory tests do not simulate the actual space environment; therefore, it is difficult to predict property changes as a function of environment exposure.

In addition to measuring changes in the macroscopic properties of the returned specimens, microstructural properties will also be examined. Thus, it may be possible to increase our understanding of the changes induced by the environment. This increased understanding can then be used to predict the performance of materials based on knowledge of the space environment and the result of laboratory tests.

This experiment was a cooperative effort and provided a significant opportunity for DoD space programs and laboratories to evaluate materials and components after long exposures to the space environment.

Photograph Classification: Prelaunch

Associated Photograph(s):
LaRC - L89-04385
KSC - KSC-384C-210.04
JSC - None
LaRC - L91-09252
KSC - KSC-390C-1485.05
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10494
KSC - None
JSC - S32-89-008
LaRC - L89-04382
KSC - KSC-384C-210.01
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10493
KSC - None
JSC - S32-89-004
LaRC - L91-09173
KSC - KSC-390C-1478.03
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10377
KSC - None
JSC - S32-76-013
LaRC - L84-07066
KSC - KSC-384C-193.08
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-13419
KSC - KSC-390C-1031.09
JSC - None
LaRC - L90-10450
KSC - None
JSC - S32-78-093
LaRC - L84-06999
KSC - KSC-384C-8.02
JSC - None
LaRC - L91-10336
KSC - KSC-390C-1529.03
JSC - None

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