Evaluation of thermal control surface on-orbit servicing methods for long term missionsFuture activities of NASA will include the long-term (10 - 30 years) operation of space vehicles. For this reason, there will be an urgent need to provide the basic technology for space vehicle thermal control surfaces and their functional maintenance for future long-term missions. One of the problems arising in connection with such missions is related to contamination which can degrade operational design parameters of critical and thermal control surfaces. All Space Based Payloads will arrive on orbit with a certain level of contamination from ground handling, and, on orbit, will be subjected to some level of contamination over their mission life. For the extension of mission life, it appears practical to institute surface refurbishment procedures for contaminated and degraded surfaces. Potential resurfacing methods are evaluated, taking into account three potential processes. The most promising of these is a cleaning procedure based on the utilization of atomic oxygen.
Document ID
19850055464
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Saylor, W. (General Electric Co. Philadelphia, PA, United States)
Racette, G. (General Electric Co. Philadelphia, PA, United States)
Singh, B. (General Electric Co. Philadelphia, PA, United States)
Amore, L. (General Electric Co., Space Div., Valley Forge PA, United States)
Wills, F. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)