Antistatic Thermal Control Coatings

Electrostatic discharge control is vital for the health of any spacecraft. Exposure to charged particles in a space enviroment can lead to large charge differences across the craft, that, if no mechanism for controlled discharge is present, can destroy mission critical equipment. The preferred way of ESD control is to use conducting thermal control coatings. These coatings combine the ability to regulate the thermal balance of a spacecraft with charge mitigation along the whole surface. Adherent Technologies Inc. has developed a new series of conductive binders with excellent thermal control properties. NASA?s JPL has confirmed a solar absorbance of only 0.175, which is 20% better then currently deployed conductive coatings. The material is easy to apply and is, by it?s chemical nature, much more resistant to the space environment then other organic materials. The Phase II program will further improve on the application properties, expose the coatings to a simulated space environment for an extended period of time, and provide sufficient material for full scale testing.