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Self-Healing Technology for Gas Retention Structures and Space Suit Systems
Technical Paper
2007-01-3211
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
The health of inflatable structures, including space suits and habitats, is dependent upon the integrity of the gas retention structural layer. Inflatable structures typically utilize a coated fabric gas retention layer, or bladder. Threats such as Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) penetration and inadvertent impact with sharp objects can cause a breach of the gas retention layer. Leakage as a result of bladder breach will impact operations due to loss of consumables and time spent locating and repairing the defect. Crew safety can be at risk where high rate leakage could cause loss of mission or loss of life. ILC has recently researched self-healing technologies that prevent leakage by closing penetrations of the gas retention structure and that are viable and scalable for various future missions and applications ranging from the Constellation Space Suit System (CSSS) to deployable lunar habitats. Several candidates of passive self-healing systems were studied. System impacts such as the size of the hole that can be healed, material mass and thickness, and system inflation pressure were considered. Candidates were evaluated based on derived requirements for a flexible inflatable system. In 2001 a Shuttle Space Suit Assembly (SSA) lower arm component prototype with a viscoelastic gel self-healing bladder was fabricated and puncture tested in vacuum. The performance of this viscoelastic gel solution was used for comparison with new concepts that have recently been developed and tested.
This paper will provide an overview of self-healing concepts identified in the recent InFlex Habitat Study. Details of testing and performance of selected self-healing concepts are included. System attributes including material properties, functionality with all puncture threats, scalability, manufacturability, operational life, and cost are discussed. Future work including investigation of a microencapsulation concept is also described.
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Authors
Topic
Citation
Ferl, J., Ware, J., Cadogan, D., and Yavorsky, J., "Self-Healing Technology for Gas Retention Structures and Space Suit Systems," SAE Technical Paper 2007-01-3211, 2007, https://doi.org/10.4271/2007-01-3211.Also In
References
- Intelligent Flexible Materials Phase I Final report ILC Dover, LP,
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- Brown E.N. Sottos N.R. “Performance and Properties of Self-Healing Epoxy Matrix Composites for Structural Components” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign March 2001
- Ware J.S. Lin J.K. Frederickson T.H. “NASA Research Announcement Final Report for Space Suit Survivability Enhancement” September 1999
- NASA's Exploration Architecture, presentation to industry September 2005
- NASA's Exploration Systems Architecture Study, Final Report, NASA-TM-2005-214062 November 2005
- Cadogan David Scheir Craig Dixit Anshu Ware Jody Ferl Janet Cooper Emily Dr. Kopf Peter Dr. “Intelligent Flexible Materials for Deployable Space Structures (InFlex)” SAE International Conference on Environmental Systems, 06ICES-91 Virginia, Beach, VA 2006
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