An interim overview of LDEF materials findings

Technical Report · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6671381

Stein, B A

The flight and retrieval of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) provided an opportunity for the study of the low-Earth orbit (LEO) environment and long-duration space environmental effects (SEE) on materials that is unparalleled in the history of the U.S. Space Program. The remarkable flight attitude stability of LDEF enables specific analyses of various individual and combined effects of LEO environmental parameters on identical materials on the same space vehicle. This paper provides an overview of the interim LDEF materials findings of the Principal Investigators and the Materials Special Investigation Group. In general, the LDEF data is remarkably consistent; LDEF will provide a benchmark for materials design data bases for satellites in low-Earth orbit. Some materials were identified to be encouragingly resistant to LEO SEE for 5.8 years; other space qualified materials displayed significant environmental degradation. Molecular contamination was widespread; LDEF offers an unprecedented opportunity to provide a unified perspective of unmanned LEO spacecraft contamination mechanisms. New material development requirements for long-term LEO missions have been identified and current ground simulation testing methods/data for new, durable materials concepts can be validated with LDEF results. LDEF findings are already being integrated into the design of Space Station Freedom.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA (United States). Langley Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6671381
• Report Number(s): N-93-18329; NASA-TM--107664; NAS--1.15:107664; CNN: RTOP 506-48-91-08
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
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& Refractories-- Radiation Effects
360606 -- Other Materials-- Physical Properties-- (1992-)
CONSTRUCTION
CONTAMINATION
DESIGN
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
MATERIALS
NASA
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SATELLITES
SIMULATION
SPACE
SPACE VEHICLE COMPONENTS
STABILITY
TESTING
US ORGANIZATIONS