Reversible Adhesion Concept for In-Space Assembly

Reconfigurable space frames will enable future NASA facilities in remote locations in our solar system where a servicing or new/replacement mission may be infeasible or cost-prohibitive to have its mission profile adapted for new applications. Future space missions are envisioned towards both sustainment of long-term on-mission space stations (e.g. ISS) and construction of on-site habitable structures beyond low-Earth orbit (e.g. Human Exploration of Mars), which requires innovative concepts for reconfigurable and reusable designs in response to changing mission needs. Specifically, NASAs Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) project is sought to develop electrically propelled spacecraft having on-board multiple solar arrays (e.g. MegaFlex and Mega-ROSA concept designs). Likewise, Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) are utilized to repair/replace malfunctioning segments of on-mission space systems (e.g. ISS) at present and will be soon be employed to build on-site space structures. Use of a high strength, highly stable thermally driven polymeric reversible adhesive will enable minimization of mass, volume, electrical and labor inputs to assemble and reconfigure truss and other structures. Multifunctional design will accommodate capacity for electrical transmission within reconfigurable space frame structures - thereby simplifying and reducing required distinct components for adapting structures to changing mission profiles.

Industry wide reversible adhesive: Thermally stable, high strength reversible adhesives are potentially usable in the construction, automotive, electronics, and the wider aerospace industry. Additionally, reconfigurable microfluidic devices and reconfigurable medical devices are other potential concepts derivative from this work. Structural material: ATSP has a high glass temperature (170C to 310C for different chemical compositions) and an excellent profile of mechanical properties from cryogenic to high temperatures; thus ATSP bulk material or ATSP composites are excellent materials for broad temperature structure applications. Tribological applications: ATSP-based coatings used here as reversible adhesives (with thickness of ~ 10s of microns) and bulk ATSP also have excellent tribological performance under extreme working conditions, including high temperature, cryogenic temperature, high contact pressure, high chamber pressure, starved lubrication, abrasive wear, etc. ATSP-based coating showed: zero wear at temperatures from -160C to 260C with dry sliding, extremely low wear coefficient (4.15x10-8 mm3/Nm) under starved lubrication condition, stable coefficient of friction (COF) and low wear rate under sand abrasive condition, and extreme low COF for oil and gas drilling application. The broad temperature use profile also suggests potential use as bearings in space applications. More »