NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
A more perfect vacuumDesign and operational features, problems and benefits of a Space Ultravacuum Research Facility (SURF), a wake shield, are discussed. SURF is primarily targeted at providing vacuums exceeding 10 to the -14th torr for performing materials processing experiments and, eventually, commercial-scale production. The materials to be processed would be at the apex of a convex shield, with the quality of vacuum limited mainly by the backscattering toward the wake surface of atmospheric molecules which have collided with molecules leaving the SURF surface. A stainless steel skin on the SURF, cured in orbit, is proposed as a means to minimize the molecules outgassed from the surface. Applications of SURF could include coating mirrors or other optical equipment, containerless melting and solidification of materials, and ultrapurification processing.
Document ID
19870044346
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Naumann, Robert J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
March 1, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: Aerospace America
Volume: 25
ISSN: 0740-722X
Subject Category
Materials Processing
Accession Number
87A31620
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available