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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Composite material characterization for large space structures.

A program phase to characterize advanced composite materials for a large reflector support truss on the ATS F & G spacecraft is described. The selection of a Hercules Incorporated, 2002M graphite fiber reinforced epoxy material was based on criteria of spacecraft system requirements and the potential of this material to meet these requirements. The objective of this phase was to develop materials data required for development, design, fabrication, test, and flight of a graphite-fiber, reinforced-plastic spacecraft structure. Testing within a temperature range from -300 F to +200 F covered the generation of data for physical, mechanical, thermophysical, and space environmental properties for the selected material. Additional testing covered adhesive bonded joint materials within the temperature ranges of the spacecraft environment. Descriptions of the spacecraft, reflector support truss, design, requirements, materials, tests, and developed data are presented.

Macneill, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Evaluation of coated columbian alloy heat shields for space shuttle thermal protection system application. Volume 1: Phase 1 - Environmental criteria and material characterization, October 1970 - March 1972

The studies presented are directed toward establishing criteria for a niobium alloy thermal protection system for the space shuttle. Evaluation of three niobium alloys and two silicon coatings for heat shield configurations culminated in the selection of two coating/substrate combinations for environmental criteria and material characterization tests. Specimens were exposed to boost and reentry temperatures, pressure, and loads simulating a space shuttle orbiter flight profile.

Black, W. E.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Status of materials characterization studies

In the context of the spacecraft charging technology investigation, studies were made to characterize the response of typical spacecraft surface materials to the charging environment. The objective is to obtain an understanding of the charging and discharging behavior of such materials for the reliable prediction of spacecraft response to charging environments and as a guide for the design of future spacecraft. Materials were characterized in terms of such basic properties as resistivity and secondary emission and in terms of charging and discharging behavior in simulated charging environments.

Purvis, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1979

SRB TPS closeout materials characterization

The recession characteristics of the materials used to closeout the Thermal Protection System (TPS) on the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) were assessed. Two candidate closeout materials namely, K5NA and MTA2 is the Marshall Trowelable Ablator. Test panels of each of these two materials were subjected to aerodynamic heat and shear in the NASA Hot Gas Facility. Pretest and Post-test measurements were taken and the rate of recession (R) thus determined was correlated with the heating rate. A least squares curve fit of the data together with another least squares 95% confidence level fit, was performed. The characteristics of the two materials when compared showed that both materials performed equally well at the higher heating rates (10 q 30 Btu/sq ft/sec) but MTA2 was slightly better, not receding as fast, at the lower q values. The comparison of the R versus q curves for K5NA and MTA2 with that of primary TPS P-50 cork on the SRB Aft Skirt was good.

Karu, Z. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

National Transonic Facility Fan Blade prepreg material characterization tests

The test program for the basic prepreg materials used in process development work and planned fabrication of the national transonic facility fan blade is presented. The basic prepreg materials and the design laminate are characterized at 89 K, room temperature, and 366 K. Characterization tests, test equipment, and test data are discussed. Material tests results in the warp direction are given for tensile, compressive, fatigue (tension-tension), interlaminar shear and thermal expansion.

Klich, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Material characterization and specification development for 350 F curing epoxy-graphite materials

New analytical techniques and a processability laminate have been used in the development of a material specification for 350 F curing epoxy-graphite materials. The development of the specification required the evaluation of prepregs which had variations in their processing behavior that were detected only in production. Chemical techniques were used to analyze the prepregs and establish limits on the concentrations of the various chemical constituents. A batch acceptance test laminate was designed to determine suitability of prepregs for production useage. The new specification requires that the processability laminate be ultrasonically and micrographically inspected for voids and porosity. Incorporation of these and other requirements will help to insure material consistency and processability.

Rogers, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Materials characterization study of conductive flexible second surface mirrors

The status of prequalification and qualification work on conductive flexible second surface mirrors is described. The basic material is FEP Teflon witn either aluminium or silver vacuum deposited reflectors. The top layer has been made conductive by deposition of layer of a indium oxide. The results of a prequalification program comprised of decontamination, humidity, thermal cycling, thermal shock and vibration tests are presented. Thermo-optical and electrical properties. The results of a prequalification program comprised of decontamination, humidity, thermal cycling, thermal shock and vibration tests are presented. Thermo-optical and electrical properties, the electrostatic behavior of the materials under simulated substorm environment and electrical conductivity at low temperatures are characterized. The effects of simulated ultra violet and particles irradiation on electrical and thermo-optical properties of the materials are also presented.

Levadou, F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Materials characterization and fracture mechanics of a space grade dielectric silicone insulation

The present investigation is concerned with the DC 93-500 high voltage silicone insulation material employed to pot the gun and the collector end of a traveling wave tube (TWT) used on the Landsat D Satellite. The fracture mechanics behavior of the silicone resin was evaluated by measuring the slow crack velocity as a function of the opening mode of the stress intensity factor at +25 and -10 C, taking into account various uniaxial discrete strain values. It was found that the silicone resins slow crack growth is faster than that for a high voltage insulation polyurethane material at the same stress intensity factor value and room temperature.

Abdel-Latif, A. I.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Balloon material characterization

Experimental data are reviewed to study the state of stress and strain in a typical balloon fabricated from thin polyethylene film. Relaxation tests are conducted over a temperature range of -60 C to 140 C for a constant strain of 1%, and loads measured with the load cell are converted to values of the relaxation modulus. A log-log plot is made of the modulus as a function of time, and the maximum stress is found to occur at times of the order of one-half second. The film behaves as a nonlinear viscoelastic material, and by examining various theoretical relationships of stress and strain with temperature and time histories, a material testing program is developed which yields the necessary data to characterize the film.

Wilbeck, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Space environmental interactions with spacecraft surfaces

The employment of large structures in space, which would be necessary in connection with a number of space missions and space activities currently being contemplated, might involve special problems as a result of the interactions of the structures with the charged particle environment. Such interactions would be particularly significant in the case of high operational voltages. A review is presented of possible interactions between spacecraft surfaces and charged-particle environments. The categories of spacecraft-environmental interactions are examined and a description of spacecraft charging interactions is presented. The status of charging investigation is considered, taking into account the environment, aspects of analytical modeling, materials characterization, materials development, space flight experiments, and design guidelines. High voltage surface-plasma interactions are also investigated.

Stevens, N. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Computer signal processing for ultrasonic attenuation and velocity measurements for material property characterizations

Instrumentation and computer programming concepts that were developed for ultrasonic materials characterization are described. Methods that facilitate velocity and attenuation measurements are outlined. The apparatus described is based on a broadband, buffered contact probe using a pulse-echo approach for simultaneously measuring velocity and attenuation. Instrumentation, specimen condition, and signal acquisition and acceptance criteria are discussed. Typical results with some representative materials are presented.

Vary, A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Computer signal processing for ultrasonic attenuation and velocity measurements for material property characterizations

This report deals with instrumentation and computer programming concepts that have been developed for ultrasonic materials characterization. Methods that facilitate velocity and attenuation measurements are described. The apparatus described is based on a broadband, buffered contact probe using a pulse-echo approach for simultaneously measuring velocity and attenuation. Instrumentation, specimen condition, and signal acquisition and acceptance criteria are discussed. Typical results with some representative materials are presented.

Vary, A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Asteroid surface materials - Mineralogical characterizations and cosmological implications

The theoretical basis for the interpretation of diagnostic spectral features is examined and previous characterizations of asteroid surface materials are considered. A summary is provided of results reported by Gaffey and McCord (1977) who have utilized the most sophisticated interpretive techniques available to interpret the spectral reflectance data of about 65 asteroids for mineralogic and petrologic information. Cosmological implications related to the study of asteroid surface materials are also considered, taking into account source bodies for the meteorites, postaccretionary thermal history, significant factors of asteroid thermal history, and the Apollo and Amor asteroids. It is found that the asteroids exhibit surface materials made up of assemblages of meteoritic minerals. The relative abundance of meteorite types reaching the earth's surface is very different from the population of mineralogic types on asteroid surfaces. The earth-crossing or -approaching asteroids apparently derive from a restricted source region or population which is very strongly depleted in the C2-like assemblages that dominate the belt as a whole.

Gaffey, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Asteroid surface materials - Mineralogical characterizations from reflectance spectra

The use of general and specific diagnostic spectral features and parameters to interpret most of the published high-quality reflectance spectra of asteroids is discussed. Such diagnostics are shown to provide the most complete and sophisticated mineralogically and petrologically based interpretation of the asteroid surface materials. Previous investigations of asteroid surface materials are exhaustively reviewed, emphasizing the general approaches employed, sources of information, previous characterizations of asteroid surface materials, and asteroid spectral groups. The interpretive methodology is then applied to spectral reflectance data for many individual members of the various spectral groups. A range of mineral assemblages similar to certain meteorite classes is identified, and evidence is presented for a selective high-temperature event that melted certain asteroid parent bodies and permitted their differentiation as some function of distance from the sun or the protosun and of the size of the protoasteroid. Possible candidates are proposed for the source bodies of different meteorite groups.

Gaffey, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Proceedings of the Spacecraft Charging Technology Conference

Over 50 papers from the spacecraft charging conference are included on subjects such as: (1) geosynchronous plasma environment, (2) spacecraft modeling, (3) spacecraft materials characterization, (4) spacecraft materials development, and (5) satellite design and test.

Pike, C. P.↗