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Full-Text Articles in Aerospace Engineering
Effects Of Atomic Oxygen On Outgassing Of Silicone Materials, Samuel Westrick
Effects Of Atomic Oxygen On Outgassing Of Silicone Materials, Samuel Westrick
Master's Theses
An important consideration for spacecraft material selection is the space environment that the spacecraft will be operating in. Two features of the space environment that drive material selection are material outgassing and the presence of atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit (LEO). Materials that are considered for use in space are tested to be able to understand how they’ll outgas on orbit and how they’ll respond to interactions with atomic oxygen. However, testing to understand how atomic oxygen interaction with a material will affect how the material will outgas is rare and not standardized. This thesis used a vacuum chamber …
The Effects Of Atomic Oxygen On Silicone And Carbon-Based Contamination, Mayana W. Gordon
The Effects Of Atomic Oxygen On Silicone And Carbon-Based Contamination, Mayana W. Gordon
Master's Theses
Understanding the space environment and contamination concerns of a spacecraft is critical in designing a successful mission. The ability for a spacecraft to meet its science objectives relies on systems functioning as intended. A concern for maintain- ing performance while on orbit is molecular contamination. Silicones have previously been shown to form a silica layer on their surfaces when exposed to atomic oxygen. For silicone contamination, this translates to a silica film on the contaminated surface. Missions such as Long Duration Exposure Facility and Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials III have indicated that the silica film can trap deposits …