The ram impact of low Earth orbital atomic oxygen causes oxidation of spacecraft materials including polymers such as polyimides. The rate of oxidation is sufficiently high to potentially compromise the long, term durability of Kapton solar array blankets. Ion beam sputter deposited atomic oxygen protective coatings of aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, and codeposited silicon dioxide with small amounts of polytetrafluoroethylene were evaluated both in RF plasma asher tests and in low Earth orbit. Deposition techniques, mechanical properties, and atomic oxygen protection performance are presented.
Protection of solar array blankets from attack by low earth orbital atomic oxygen
Oberflaechenschutz von Solarbatterien im Weltraum gegen die Einwirkung von erdnahem, atomaren Sauerstoff
1985
6 Seiten, 7 Bilder, 2 Tabellen, 12 Quellen
Conference paper
English
Manufacturing of space telescope solar array blankets
Tema Archive | 1980
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