An experimental investigation is being conducted to determine changes in thermophysical and tensile properties of polymeric film materials and mechanical properties of certain composite systems when exposed to simulated combined elements of a synchronous equatorial orbit space environment. The materials examined are presently being used or have proposed application as external materials on long lifetime space systems. The facility used for testing permits sizeable quantities of test specimens to be exposed in vacuum to a combined simulation of the critical elements of the natural space environment and provides for in situ evaluation of the radiation effects. This paper briefly describes the testing facility and test procedures and presents key thermophysical and tensile test results. It is shown that some materials experience substantial changes in their properties due to radiation exposure. (Kursetz)
Space radiation effects on spacecraft materials
Auswirkungen der Raumstrahlung auf die Konstruktionswerkstoffe von Raumfahrzeugen
1979
11 Seiten, 2 Bilder, 6 Tabellen, 1 Quelle
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch