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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Recent advances in spacecraft thermal-control materials research.

The state-of-the-art of spacecraft thermal-control materials technology has been significantly advanced during the past 4 years. Selective black coatings are discussed together with black paints, dielectric films on metal surfaces, and white radiator coatings. Criteria for the selection of thermal-control surfaces are considered, giving attention to prelaunch protection, the capability of being measured, reproducibility, simulator response, and aspects of a nonindigenous space environment. Progress in space simulation is related to vacuum technology, ultraviolet sources, solar wind simulation, and the production of protons. Advances have been made in the protection against space environmental effects, and in the development of thermal-control surfaces and pigments.

Zerlaut, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Evaluation and Selection of Replacement Thermal Control Materials for the Hubble Space Telescope

The mechanical and optical properties of the metallized Teflon(Registered Trademark) FEP thermal control materials on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have degraded over the nearly seven years the telescope has been in orbit. Given the damage to the outer layer of the multi-layer insulation (MLI) that was apparent during the second servicing mission (SM2), the decision was made to replace the outer layer during subsequent servicing missions. A Failure Review Board was established to investigate the damage to the MLI and identify a replacement material. The replacement material had to meet the stringent thermal requirements of the spacecraft and maintain structural integrity for at least ten years. Ten candidate materials were selected and exposed to ten-year HST-equivalent doses of simulated orbital environments. Samples of the candidates were exposed sequentially to low and high energy electrons and protons, atomic oxygen, x-ray radiation, ultraviolet radiation and thermal cycling. Following the exposures, the mechanical integrity and optical properties of the candidates were investigated using Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and a Laboratory Portable Spectroreflectometer (LPSR). Based on the results of these simulations and analyses, the FRB selected a replacement material and two alternates that showed the highest likelihood of providing the requisite thermal properties and surviving for ten years in orbit.q

Townsend, Jacqueline A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Solidification behavior of low and high thermal conductivity materials in a Bridgman-Stockbarger furnace

The solid-liquid interface position and the temperature gradients in both the solid and liquid at the interface have been studied in a modified Bridgman-Stockbarger crystal growth furnace. These crystal growth factors have been studied as a function of ampoule translation rate, materials properties, and the size and temperature of a small auxiliary heater placed at the edge of the furnace hot zone. It has been found that the interface position with respect to a furnace reference point is essentially constant during a run for a low thermal conductivity material whereas the interface position changes continuously during a run with high thermal conductivity material. However, the ampoule translation rate and auxiliary heater conditions produce interface position changes in both high and low thermal conductivity materials.

Ejim, T. I.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Effects of Heating on Teflon(Registered Trademark) FEP Thermal Control Material from the Hubble Space Telescope

Metallized Teflon(Registered Trademark) FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) thermal control material on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is degrading in the space environment. Teflon(Registered Trademark) FEP thermal control blankets (space-facing FEP) retrieved during the first servicing mission (SM1) were found to be embrittled on solar facing surfaces and contained microscopic cracks. During the second servicing mission (SM2) astronauts noticed that the FEP outer layer of the multi-layer insulation (MLI) covering the telescope was cracked in many locations around the telescope. Large cracks were observed on the light shield, forward shell and equipment bays. A tightly curled piece of cracked FEP from the light shield was retrieved during SM2 and was severely embrittled, as witnessed by ground testing. A Failure Review Board (FRB) was organized to determine the mechanism causing the MLI degradation. Density, x-ray crystallinity and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses of FEP retrieved during SM1 were inconsistent with results of FEP retrieved during SM2. Because the retrieved SM2 material curled while in space, it experienced a higher temperature extreme during thermal cycling, estimated at 200 C, than the SM1 material, estimated at 50 C. An investigation on the effects of heating pristine and FEP exposed on HST was therefore conducted. Samples of pristine. SM1, and SM2 FEP were heated to 200 C and evaluated for changes in density and morphology. Elevated temperature exposure was found to have a major impact on the density of the retrieved materials. Characterization of polymer morphology of as-received and heated FEP samples by NMR provided results that were consistent with the density results. These findings have provided insight to the damage mechanisms of FEP in the space environment.

deGroh, Kim↗
NASA NTRS2010

Foam/aerogel composite materials for thermal and acoustic insulation and cryogen storage

The invention involves composite materials containing a polymer foam and an aerogel. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability, good acoustic insulation, and excellent physical mechanical properties. The composite materials can be used, for instance, for heat and acoustic insulation on aircraft, spacecraft, and maritime ships in place of currently used foam panels and other foam products. The materials of the invention can also be used in building construction with their combination of light weight, strength, elasticity, ability to be formed into desired shapes, and superior thermal and acoustic insulation power. The materials have also been found to have utility for storage of cryogens. A cryogenic liquid or gas, such as N.sub.2 or H.sub.2, adsorbs to the surfaces in aerogel particles. Thus, another embodiment of the invention provides a storage vessel for a cryogen.

Williams, Martha K.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Foam/Aerogel Composite Materials for Thermal and Acoustic Insulation and Cryogen Storage

The invention involves composite materials containing a polymer foam and an aerogel. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability, good acoustic insulation, and excellent physical mechanical properties. The composite materials can be used, for instance, for heat and acoustic insulation on aircraft, spacecraft, and maritime ships in place of currently used foam panels and other foam products. The materials of the invention can also be used in building construction with their combination of light weight, strength, elasticity, ability to be formed into desired shapes, and superior thermal and acoustic insulation power. The materials have also been found to have utility for storage of cryogens. A cryogenic liquid or gas, such as N.sub.2 or H.sub.2, adsorbs to the surfaces in aerogel particles. Thus, another embodiment of the invention provides a storage vessel for a cryogen.

Williams, Martha K.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Thermal Protection Materials and Systems: Where Have We Been, Where are We Going?

Thermal protection materials and systems (TPS) have been critical to fulfilling humankind's desire to explore space. Composite and ceramic materials have enable the early missions to orbit, the moon, the space station, Mars with robots, and sample return. Crewed missions to Mars are being considered, and this places even more demands on TPS materials. This talk will give some history on the materials used for earth and planetary entry and the demands placed upon such materials. TPs needs for future missions, especially to Mars, will be identified and potential solutions discussed.

materials needs↗
NASA NTRS2007

Thermal Control Materials on MISSE-5 with Comparison to Earlier Flight Data

A variety of thermal control materials were flown on the Materials on International Space Station Experiment (MISSE)-5. Several types of beta cloth, as used in multi-layer insulation blankets, were flown, including samples from the same batch as used on the International Space Station. Two candidate sunshade materials for the James Webb Space Telescope were also exposed on MISSE-5. The white thermal control coating AZ93 was applied to Kapton instead of aluminum; this sample maintained good solar absorptance and did not indicate any significant level of contamination to the MISSE-5 experiment. Marker coatings maintained their color. Thermo-optical properties are discussed, along with comparable data from MISSE-2 and the Passive Optical Sample Assembly (POSA) - I experiments.

Finckenor, Miria↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Backshell Thermal Protection Materials for Additive Manufacturing

NASA invests in additive manufacturing (AM) to enable new mission architectures and design methods, including autonomous fabrication. AM is suited for backshell thermal protection materials that require many complex closeouts that lead to integration challenges. Current work will review printable backshell thermal protection material formulation, development, and characterization, such as Arc-jet testing results.

Tane Boghozian↗
NASA NTRS1984

Related Studies in Long Term Lithium Battery Stability

The continuing growth of the use of lithium electrochemical systems in a wide variety of both military and industrial applications is primarily a result of the significant benefits associated with the technology such as high energy density, wide temperature operation and long term stability. The stability or long term storage capability of a battery is a function of several factors, each important to the overall storage life and, therefore, each potentially a problem area if not addressed during the design, development and evaluation phases of the product cycle. Design (e.g., reserve vs active), inherent material thermal stability, material compatibility and self-discharge characteristics are examples of factors key to the storability of a power source.

Horning, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

An investigation of the degradation of Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) copolymer thermal blanketing materials aboard LDEF in the laboratory

Samples of fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer thermal blanketing material, recovered from the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), were investigated to determine the nature and the extent of degradation due to exposure to the low-Earth-orbit environment. Samples recovered from the ram-facing direction of LDEF, which received vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) radiation and atomic-oxygen impingement, and samples from the trailing edge, which received almost exclusively VUV exposure, were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The most significant result of this investigation was found on samples that received only VUV exposure. These samples possessed a hard, embrittled surface layer that was absent from the atomic-oxygen exposed sample and from unexposed control samples. This surface layer is believed to be responsible for the 'synergistic' effect between VUV and atomic oxygen. Overall, the investigation revealed dramatically different morphologies for the two samples. The sample receiving both atomic-oxygen and VUV exposure was deeply eroded and had a characteristic 'rolling' surface morphology, while the sample that received only VUV exposure showed mild erosion and a surface morphology characterized by sharp high-frequency peaks. The morphologies observed in the LDEF samples, including the embrittled surface layer, were successfully duplicated in the laboratory.

Stiegman, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Life and stability testing of packaged low-cost energy storage materials

Thermal cycling and performance tests, performed to verify the package integrity, life, and stability of the chub packaged materials system for storage coolness with application to residential air conditioning, are described. The moisture vapor retention characteristics of the laminate film for long term chub performance was determined. The stability, mechanical integrity, and thermal performance of chubs following mechanical shock, vibration, and temperature extremes is reported.

Frysinger, G. R.↗