Innovations for the Affordable Conductive Thermal Control Material Systems for Space Applications

This proposal is submitted to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of processing the space environment stable, multifunctional thermal control material system (TCMS) that can be applied to space hardware and can enables the hardware to carry higher leakage current through engineering the high electrical conductivity at affordable costs. An innovative efforts for the space environmental stable TCMS is suggested for leveraging IR&D at AMSENG for the multifunctional, low (?S/?T) material systems that can meet these aggressive goals in cost reductions in reliable manner. The suggested efforts emphasize developments in two material science areas: the first one considers the development of intercalated boron nitride nano structure that includes nanotubes and nano mesh and the second area proposes the synthesis and processing of various compounds with proton and electron conductivity along with its plasma sprayable versions. The material system that integrates these technology aspects can allow higher leakage currents at affordable costs. Thus the envisioned affordable material systems can provide the needed reliable TCMS in typical space environments in (LEO), (GEO) & beyond. The reliability goal for the multifunctional conductive TCMS is to have a design life of > 10 years in LEO and > 15 years in GEO, and we anticipate the developments to mature by end of phase II ready for the hardware demonstration.