New aspects relating to the behaviour of composites in space

✍ Scribed by A. Carpenter

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1992
• Weight: 940 KB
• Volume: 2
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0961-9526
• DOI: 10.1016/0961-9526(92)90051-7

✦ Synopsis

This describes some of the specialized testing being performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory specifically for the WideField Plantetary Camera II (WFPC II) program (as the operational heart of the Hubble Telescope) toward screening polymeric materials as regards outgassing behaviour. The WFPC II is designed to replace WFPC I (presently in orbit) and to correct the Hubble's present optical difficulties. In addition, the WFPC II is being fabricated as an ultraviolet-imaging science instrument. As such, this poses unique, stringent cleanliness requirements and very low levels of contamination-allowables.

These cleanliness requirements thus become absolutely crucial to mission performance.

Hopefully, this testing will generate additional interest and continued research activity in further elucidating the chemistry involved in outgassing and contamination behaviour.