Accession Number:

AD0475243

Title:

VACUUM TESTING OF EXPANDABLE SELF-RIGIDIZING STRUCTURES

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept.

Corporate Author:

ARNOLD ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT CENTER ARNOLD AFB TN

Personal Author(s):

• Latture, N. C.

Report Date:

1965-12-01

Pagination or Media Count:

41.0

Abstract:

Four expandable, self-rigidizing structures were impregnated with a water setting resin and packaged for deployment in a vacuum of 0.00001 torr while exposed to 77 K cold walls in a space environmental chamber. The high pumping speeds available with this chamber permitted the removal of the large gas loads from the structure while maintaining test pressures of 0.00001 torr. Water was used as a catalyst, and infrared heat lamps were used to maintain temperature control of the structures. Deployment was completely successful on three structures and partially successful on one. Rigidization of all four structures was successful.

Descriptors:

• *EXPANDABLE STRUCTURES
• CRYOGENICS
• DEPLOYMENT
• IMPREGNATION
• INFLATABLE STRUCTURES
• MANNED SPACECRAFT
• MODEL TESTS
• PACKAGING
• PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING)
• SANDWICH CONSTRUCTION
• SPACE SIMULATION CHAMBERS
• SPACE STATIONS
• TEST EQUIPMENT
• VACUUM

Subject Categories:

• Structural Engineering and Building Technology
• Manned Spacecraft

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE