Atomic-Oxygen-Resistant Polymer for Low-Earth-Orbit Applications

Triton Systems Inc. proposes to develop a new and innovative polymer material that is resistant to the deleterious effects of atomic oxygen (AIO) on NASA materials in low earth orbit (LEO). The new innovative material is based on a NASA polymer called PAEBI that Triton has shown to be A/O resistant. We propose to overcoat or replace vulnerable polymer materials that NASA is now using in LEO applications with PAEBI in the form of innovative coatings, films, and adhesives, for NASA use as an A/O resistant thread in the multilayer insulation thermal blanket (MLI-Blanket); as an A/O resistant Ag-polymer top layer in the multilayer thermal insulation tape (ML-Tape), and in the Lockheed flexible solar array (L-Array). The effort will develop and test new materials to be used in AIO vulnerable NASA structures.