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The NASA/MSFC REED computer code was developed for predicting concentrations, dosage, and deposition downwind from rocket vehicle launches. The calculation procedures and results of nine studies using the code are presented. Topics include plume expansion, hydrazine concentrations, and hazard calculations for postulated fuel spills.
Studies were conducted to establish the effects of thermo-oxidative and hydrothermal exposure on the mechanical properties of T300 graphite fabric reinforced PMR-15 composites. The effects of hydrothermal exposure on the mechanical properties of HTS-2 continuous graphite fiber composites were also investigated. The thermo-oxidative stability characteristics of T300 fabric and T300 fabric/PMR-15 composites were determined. Flexural strengths of specimens were determined. The useful lifetime of T300 fabric/PMR-15 composites in air at 316 C was found to be about 100 hours. The useful lifetimes in air at 228 and 260 C were determined to be 500 and 1000 hours, respectively. Absorbed moisture was found to reduce the elevated temperature properties of both the T300 fabricate and HTS-2 continuous fiber composites. The moisture effect was found to be reversible.
The sensitivity of the impact characteristics of typical polymeric composite fan blade materials to potential limiting combinations of moisture, temperature level and temperature transients was established. The following four technical tasks are reported: (1) evaluation and characterization of constituent blade materials; (2) ballistic impact tests; (3) leading edge impact protection systems; and (4) simulated blade spin impact tests.
An experimental program was carried out to investigate the effects of temperature and moisture on the damage development and fracture response of graphite/epoxy composites. Fracture response data were obtained for 20-ply laminates of different layup patterns for both room temperature and immediately after the application of a temperature transient causing the specimen to attain 150 C. It is found that elevated temperature degrades the notched strength of some laminates while not degrading others. The unnotched strength of all laminates tested at elevated temperatures was degraded. The effect of preloading on damage growth and moisture absorption, the effect of autoclave pressure during the laminate cure on fracture, and the variation of interlaminar shear properties with layup, moisture exposure, laminate material, and cure pressure are also discussed.
Data for evaluating the effects of moisture and temperature on the integrity of fiber composite components was gathered. In particular, the static and cyclic performance of three composite laminates containing flaws was investigated at room temperature and at 422 K (300 F) in wet and dry conditions.
The heavy lift launch vehicle associated with the solar power satellite (SPS) would deposit in the upper atmosphere exhaust and reentry products which could modify the composition of the stratosphere, mesosphere, and lower ionosphere. In order to assess such effects, atmospheric model simulations were performed, especially considering a geographic zone centered at the launch and reentry latitudes.
Changes in functional properties of a broad spectrum of nonmetallic materials as a function of environment and exposure time were evaluated. Models for predicting long-term material performance are discussed. A literature search on specific materials in the space and simulated space environment was carried out and evaluated.
A system for measuring the expansion of low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) materials was constructed around a H.P. 5526-A laser measuring system. The vacuum CTE measurements in the -150 F to +120 F range were made over a 6 month period on a graphite epoxy tube yielding CTE values of 2.5 to one fifty-millionth/F above ambient and 2 + or - one ten-millionth F below ambient temperature. To assure that the below ambient, approximately 10 microns high open loop nature of the delta L/L vs. T curves was not apparatus related, similar size quartz tubes (A and B) were checked and found to have only a 2 micron (negligable for quartz) open loop component. These two quartz tubes, A and B, had ambient CTE values 20% and 45% respectively higher than the average handbook value. The overnight microcreep diminished an order of magnitude during the first several cycles after the system had been reopened.
Influences from the cluster environment build up steadily over long times so that the internal dynamics of a galaxy in a cluster change appreciably over a cluster crossing time. The galaxy can no longer be considered as an isolated object. Slow rotation of elliptical galaxies and observations on galaxy alignment within clusters of galaxies provide two independent pieces of observational evidence for cluster influence. A first cut at studying cluster influences on the internal dynamics of galaxies is presented by means of numerical experiments started from a rotating barlike galaxy placed in an external force field like that which a galaxy sees in a cluster. Both pattern motion and observable rotation are tidally braked by the cluster force field. The experiments verify that the braking rate scales inversely as the square of the cluster crossing time. Systematic internal motions are reduced so that observational V/sigma is less than 0.2, in agreement with observations on elliptical galaxies but sharply reduced from V/sigma of approximately 1.0 for the original model. The final shapes of tidally braked galaxies need not be spherical.
Research efforts at NASA-Langley to characterize the durability of composite materials which are candidates or use as components on various space hardware systems are reviewed. The material applications include large space structures, antennas, cables, thermal control coatings, solar reflectors, and satellite power systems. Simulation facilities have been built to study radiation effects on polymer matrix composites, and the dimensional stability of the matrix composites and tension stabilized.
Research efforts at NASA-Langley to characterize the durability of composite materials which are candidates for use as components on various space hardware systems are reviewed. The material applications include large space structures, antennas, cables, thermal control coatings, solar reflectors, and satellite power systems. Simulation facilities have been built to study radiation effects on polymer matrix composites, and the dimensional stability of the matrix composites and tension stabilized cables. Numerical models are being developed for radiation effects on the mechanical, physical, and optical properties. Additionally, chemical and microstructural analyses are performed to identify damage mechanisms and the limits of effectiveness of accelerating life tests. It is noted that no residual strength reduction has been detected in polymer films after dosages of 5 billion rads of electron radiation.
A model of the evolution and radiative effects of a debris cloud from a hypothesized impact event at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary suggests that the cloud could have reduced the amount of light at the earth's surface below that required for photosynthesis for several months and, for a somewhat shorter interval, even below that needed for many animals to see. For 6 months to 1 year, the surface would cool; the oceans could cool only a few degrees Celsius at most, but the continents might cool a maximum of 40 Kelvin. Extinctions in the ocean may have been caused primarily by the temporary cessation of photosynthesis, but those on land may have been primarily induced by a combination of lowered temperatures and reduced light.
The time dependent deformational and creep rupture processes in graphite/epoxy laminates are examined as a function of temperature and stress level. The role of accelerated characterization of design materials is discussed, and the use of a nonlinear time-temperature-stress-superposition principle in the determination of compliance master curves as a function of stress and temperature is considered. Creep rupture analytical models are discussed as applied to polymer-matrix composites, and the data is shown to be in general agreement with a logarithmic stress and temperature-dependent delayed fracture model. Comparisons between creep and rupture experiments and phenomenological models are presented.
Studies were conducted to establish the effects of thermo-oxidative and hydrothermal exposure on the mechanical properties of T300 graphite fabric reinforced PMR-15 composites. The effects of hydrothermal exposure on the mechanical properties of HTS-2 continuous graphite fiber composites were also investigated. The thermo-oxidative stability characteristics of T300 fabric and T300 fabric/PMR-15 composites were determined. Flexural strengths of specimens were determined. The useful lifetime of T300 fabric/PMR-15 composites in air at 316 C was found to be about 100 hours. The useful lifetimes in air at 228 and 260 C were determined to be 500 and 1000 hours, respectively. Absorbed moisture was found to reduce the elevated temperature properties of both the T300 fabricate and HTS-2 continuous fiber composites. The moisture effect was found to be reversible. Previously announced in STAR as N81-32194
Changes in the functional properties of a number of nonmetallic materials were evaluated experimentally as a function of simulated space environments and to use such data to develop models for accelerated test methods useful for predicting such behavioral changes. The effects of changed particle irradiations on candidate space materials are evaluated.
The areas of concern were the toxic exhaust cloud produced by Shuttle launch, the effect of launch operations on the total ecology, and the sonic boom produced by Orbiter re-entry. Wet acidic dust fell from the exhaust cloud for about ten minutes after launch. The fallout was not entirely unexpected, but the intensity and duration was larger than anticipated. The fallout material is not considered a significant health hazard. Previously announced in STAR as N82-15729
The typical patterns of spectral development (profiles) for corn and soybeans are presented, based on field-collected reflectance data transformed to correspond to Landsat-MSS Tasseled Cap coordinates. Reasonable variations in field conditions and cultural practices are shown to significantly influence profile features. The separability of the two crops is determined to be primarily related to the maximum value of the reflectance equivalent of Greenness, and to the plateau effect seen in corn Greenness profiles. The impact of changes in conditions on separability is described. In addition, association is made between profile features and stages of development for corn and soybeans. Corn is shown to peak at a stage well before tasseling or maximum LAI, while the characteristics of the soybean profile are shown to be unrelated to any particular stage of development.
A unified set of composite micromechanics equations of simple form is summarized and described. This unified set includes composite micromechanics equations for predicting: (1) ply in-plane uniaxial strengths; (2) through-the-thickness strength (interlaminar and flexural); (3) in-plane fracture toughness; (4) in-plane impact resistance; and (5) through-the-thickness (interlaminar and flexural) impact resistance. Equations are also included for predicting the hygrothermal effects on strength, fracture toughness and impact resistance. Several numerical examples are worked out to illustrate the ease of use of the various composite micromechanics equations.