REINFORCED CARBON-CARBON (RCC) REPAIR ADHESIVE: SUSTAINING PRODUCTION OF NOAX-D FOLLOW ON THE STS-107 ACCID…

Public award description

REINFORCED CARBON-CARBON (RCC) REPAIR ADHESIVE: SUSTAINING PRODUCTION OF NOAX-D FOLLOW ON THE STS-107 ACCIDENT AND SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION RESULTING IN THE COLUMBIA ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BOARD (CAIB) REPORT HAVE CREATED CHALLENGING TECHNICAL AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT EFFORTS NECESSARY TO MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF RETURN TO FLIGHT (RTF). ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CAIB REPORT IS TO ESTABLISH A THERMAL PROTECTION SYSTEM (TPS) REPAIR CAPABILITY FOR THE ORBITER WHILE THE SHUTTLE IS ON-ORBIT. NASA HAS COMMITTED TO COMPLY WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION PRIOR TO THE RESUMPTION OF SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHTS, AND FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS FOLLOWING STS-107, NASA HAS AGGRESSIVELY RESEARCHED REPAIR METHODOLOGY FOR THE SPACE SHUTTLES WING LEADING EDGE. MANY POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FROM COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND ACADEMIA HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED, TESTED, AND EVENTUALLY DOWN SELECTED. OF ALL THE ORIGINAL SOLUTIONS PROPOSED, THE LIQUID SEALANT NOAX-D WAS ULTIMATELY IDENTIFIED BY THE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM OFFICE AS THE MOST VIABLE TECHNICAL SOLUTION FOR ON-ORBIT REPAIR OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE WING LEADING EDGE. NOAX-D IS A PASTE-LIKE, SINGLE PART, HIGHLY LOADED, PRE-CERAMIC POLYMER WHICH FUNCTIONS AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER TO RETARD OXIDATION OF THE CARBON/CARBON SUBSTRATE WHEN EXPOSED TO THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENT OF RE-ENTRY. THIS PROCUREMENT IS FOR A FOLLOW-ON EFFORT TO SUSTAIN MONTHLY PRODUCTION OF NOAX-D, AS A RESULT OF PREVIOUS SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, FOR THE REMAINING SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHTS THROUGH 2010.