Glass polyimide honeycomb cores for advanced space transportation systems

The use of a glass fiber reinforced polyimide honeycomb was considered for various applications requiring lightweight stiff structures which may experience temperatures up to 600K. The experiences and results of fabricating these core types are reported. The process parameters and most desirable characteristics are noted. The differences in considering resins for making laminates versus their use in surface coatings are stressed. This comparison is made to explain the problems encountered in using the three new resin types for dipping honeycomb to the desired density. Some properties and the effect of post cure, forming and ventilating techniques for the condensation polyimide core types are presented.