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Degradation of Spacesuit Fabrics in Low Earth OrbitSix samples of pristine and dust-abraded outer layer spacesuit fabrics were included in the Materials International Space Station Experiment-7, in which they were exposed to the wake-side low Earth orbit environment on the International Space Station (ISS) for 18 months in order to determine whether abrasion by lunar dust increases radiation degradation. The fabric samples were characterized using optical microscopy, optical spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and tensile testing before and after exposure on the ISS. Comparison of pre- and post-flight characterizations showed that the environment darkened and reddened all six fabrics, increasing their integrated solar absorptance by 7 to 38 percent. There was a decrease in the ultimate tensile strength and elongation to failure of lunar dust abraded Apollo spacesuit fibers by a factor of four and an increase in the elastic modulus by a factor of two.
Document ID
20120013873
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Gaier, James R.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Baldwin, Sammantha M.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Folz, Angela D.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Waters, Deborah L.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
McCue, Terry R.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Jaworske, Donald A.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Clark, Gregory W.
(Manchester Coll. North Manchester, IN, United States)
Rogers, Kerry J.
(Manchester Coll. North Manchester, IN, United States)
Batman, Brittany
(Manchester Coll. North Manchester, IN, United States)
Bruce, John
(Manchester Coll. North Manchester, IN, United States)
Mengesu, Tsega
(Manchester Coll. North Manchester, IN, United States)
Date Acquired
August 26, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 2012
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Report/Patent Number
E-18357
AIAA Paper-2012-3573
NASA/TM-2012-217682
Meeting Information
Meeting: 42nd International Conference on Environmental Systems
Location: San Diego, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: July 15, 2012
End Date: July 19, 2012
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 936374.04.08.03
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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