Degradation of Spacecraft Materials in the Space Environment

When we think of space, we typically think of a vacuum containing very little matter that lies between the Earth and other planetary and stellar bodies. However, the space above Earth's breathable atmosphere and beyond contains many things that make designing durable spacecraft a challenge. Dep...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:MRS bulletin 2010-01, Vol.35 (1), p.20-24
Main Authors: Miller, Sharon K.R., Banks, Bruce
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerospace environments
Applied and Technical Physics
Atomic oxygen
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Charged particles
Degradation
Durability
Energy Materials
Materials Engineering
Materials Science
Micrometeoroids
Nanotechnology
Spacecraft
Spacecraft construction materials
Technical Feature
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Summary:When we think of space, we typically think of a vacuum containing very little matter that lies between the Earth and other planetary and stellar bodies. However, the space above Earth's breathable atmosphere and beyond contains many things that make designing durable spacecraft a challenge. Depending on where the spacecraft is flying, it may encounter atomic oxygen, ultraviolet and other forms of radiation, charged particles, micrometeoroids and debris, and temperature extremes. These environments on their own and in combination can cause degradation and failure of polymers, composites, paints and other materials used on the exterior of spacecraft for thermal control, structure, and power generation. This article briefly discusses and gives examples of some of the degradation experienced on spacecraft and flight experiments as a result of the space environment and the use of ground and space data to predict durability.
ISSN:0883-7694
1938-1425
DOI:10.1557/mrs2010.612