Reversible Adhesion Concept for In-Space Assembly

ATSP Innovations will develop a reversible adhesion concept for use in reconfigurable space frame construction. This reversible adhesion concept is based on application of aromatic thermosetting copolyester (ATSP) to selected adhesive contact points. By virtue of a class of reversible solid-state chemical reactions (called interchain transesterification reactions - ITR) intrinsic to the polymer, ATSP was shown to bond and debond with itself for >50 cycles during the Phase I with high mechanical strength allowing load values >6 the requirement of the solicitation in an very small contact area.In Phase II of this project we will apply this reversible adhesive concept to assembly and reconfiguration of truss structures composed of tubular beams and we will do electrical, thermal and mechanical characterizations of the reversibly joined tube segments. Based on the reversible adhesion concept developed and demonstrated in Phase I, a self-aligning attachment mechanism for tubular beams and hub joints with integrated heating is proposed. Designed attachment mechanisms and developed processes will be applied to assembly and reconfiguration of truss unit cell. Polymeric reversible adhesive will be subjected to outgassing and radiation experiments (to determine applicability to space environment) in simulation of low earth orbit with additional bond/debond cycles following radiation exposure implemented via a toolkit developed in Phase I. The high mechanical strength provides design flexibility for space in the joints for electrical contacts, thereby allowing multifunctionality of the space structures; with full scale dimension of the real truss structure, the joint would be able to reach a bond strength of 56,760N (113 times the required500N).