Techniques and instrumentation for development of space experiments on polymer materials

Abstract

More than 20 years’ experience in development and application of techniques and instrumentation for evaluation of space environment effect on polymer materials and adhesively bonded joints in active experiments on‐ and overboard low Earth orbit space stations Salyute, Mir and the international space station (ISS) is reviewed. Six techniques and instrumentation sets were developed and tested for remote control of polymer materials and adhesive joints structure/properties changes during long‐term exposure in space environment. This made it possible to evaluate visco‐elastic and dielectric properties, surface defectiveness and crack resistance as material parameters, which are sensitive to structure changes of polymer materials and adhesive joints and are their important service characteristics. Some experimental results of the techniques and instrumentation, ground and space tests are presented.

Citation

Babayevsky, P.G., Kozlov, N.A., Shubin, A.N., Tchurilo, I.V. and Smirnova, T.N. (2001), "Techniques and instrumentation for development of space experiments on polymer materials", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 73 No. 4, pp. 367-373. https://doi.org/10.1108/00022660110400657