Marshall Technical Reports Server

Laboratory Electron Exposure of TSS-1 Thermal Control Coating

NASA/TM-108503, Vaughn, J.A. and McCollum, M. and Carruth, Jr., M.R., Laboratory Electron Exposure of TSS-1 Thermal Control Coating, Materials and Processes Laboratory, Science and Engineering Directorate. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812, December 1995, pp. 15, Format(s): PDF 856k

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RM400, a conductive thermal control coating, was developed for use on the exterior shell of the tethered satellite. Testing was performed by the Engineering Physics Division to quantify effects of the space environment on this coating and its conductive and optical properties. Included in this testing was exposure of RM400 to electrons with energies ranging from 0.1 to 1 keV, to simulate electrons accelerated from the ambient space plasma when the tethered satellite is fully deployed. During this testing, the coating was found to luminesce, and a prolonged exposure of the coating to high-energy electrons caused the coating to darken. This report describes the tests done to quantify the degradation of the thermal control properties caused by electron exposure and to measure the luminescence as a function of electron energy and current density to the satellite.
Keywords:tethered satellite, electron, space environment, conductivity, thermal control
CASI Document ID Number:96N18514
Subjects:Chemistry and Materials: Non-Metallic Materials: Polymers
ID Code:301
Deposited On:27 June 2002