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Simulation of the low earth orbital atomic oxygen interaction with materials by means of an oxygen ion beam
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Steuber, Thomas J. Paulsen, Phillip E. Banks, Bruce A. Rutledge, Sharon K. |
| Copyright Year | 1989 |
| Description | Atomic oxygen is the predominant species in low-Earth orbit between the altitudes of 180 and 650 km. These highly reactive atoms are a result of photodissociation of diatomic oxygen molecules from solar photons having a wavelength less than or equal to 2430A. Spacecraft in low-Earth orbit collide with atomic oxygen in the 3P ground state at impact energies of approximately 4.2 to 4.5 eV. As a consequence, organic materials previously used for high altitude geosynchronous spacecraft are severely oxidized in the low-Earth orbital environment. The evaluation of materials durability to atomic oxygen requires ground simulation of this environment to cost effectively screen materials for durability. Directed broad beam oxygen sources are necessary to evaluate potential spacecraft materials performance before and after exposure to the simulated low-Earth orbital environment. This paper presents a description of a low energy, broad oxygen ion beam source used to simulate the low-Earth orbital atomic oxygen environment. The results of materials interaction with this beam and comparison with actual in-space tests of the same meterials will be discussed. Resulting surface morphologies appear to closely replicate those observed in space tests. |
| File Size | 9311016 |
| Page Count | 32 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19890011733 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t47q3wg5w |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 1989-01-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Nonmetallic Materials Earth Orbital Environments Low Earth Orbits Environment Simulators Environmental Tests Oxidation Oxygen Ions Spacecraft Structures Photodissociation Ion Beams Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
