Table Of ContentDesign and Fabrication of
Large Polymer
Constructions in Space
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Design and Fabrication of
Large Polymer
Constructions in Space
Alexey Kondyurin
Elsevier
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Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................xi
CHAPTER 1 Constructions in space.........................................................................1
1.1 First rockets, first satellites.......................................................................................1
1.2 Payloadcapacity ofpast and present space launch systems...................................4
1.3 Human flights............................................................................................................5
1.4 Multi-crewmemberships: Space Shuttle and Energia-Buran.................................7
1.5 Space stations...........................................................................................................8
1.6 Why dowe need a largespace construction?........................................................12
1.7 Requirements for largespace constructions..........................................................17
1.8 Mechanical deployment..........................................................................................20
1.9 Making inspace......................................................................................................24
1.10 Robots in space.......................................................................................................27
CHAPTER 2 Inflatable structures............................................................................29
2.1 History ofinflatablestructures.................................................................................29
2.2 Inflatable structures inspace....................................................................................31
2.2.1 Echo reflector.................................................................................................32
2.2.2 Inflatable airlock for AlexeyLeonov.............................................................33
2.2.3 Inflatable antenna experiment Model.............................................................34
2.2.4 NASA inflatableantennaexperiment (IAE)..................................................35
2.2.5 Bigelowhabitat...............................................................................................38
2.3 Inflatable structure projects......................................................................................39
2.3.1 ProjectsofILC Dover....................................................................................39
2.3.2 ProjectsofL’Garde........................................................................................40
2.3.3 Other projects.................................................................................................41
2.4 Folding methods........................................................................................................44
2.5 Inflationmethods and equipment.............................................................................53
2.6 Stability of aninflatableconstruction......................................................................56
2.7 Advantages and limitations......................................................................................57
2.8 Rigidization of the inflatable construction...............................................................59
CHAPTER 3 Materials in the space environment..................................................65
3.1 Space factorsfor LowEarthOrbit, Geostationary Earth Orbit,
anddeep space missions...........................................................................................65
3.1.1 Vacuum factor.................................................................................................66
3.1.2 Space plasma factors......................................................................................68
3.1.3 Temperaturefactor.........................................................................................73
v
vi Contents
3.1.4 Microgravityfactor.........................................................................................74
3.1.5 Meteorite factor..............................................................................................75
3.2 Environmental factorson otherplanets....................................................................76
3.2.1 TheMoon.......................................................................................................76
3.2.2 Mars................................................................................................................77
3.3 Space simulators.......................................................................................................78
3.4 Materialsexperiments inspace environment and simulators..................................81
3.4.1 Polyimide........................................................................................................82
3.4.2 Polyethylene terephthalate.............................................................................86
3.4.3 Perfluorinated polymers.................................................................................86
3.4.4 Other polymers...............................................................................................89
3.4.5 Epoxy resin composites..................................................................................93
3.4.6 Other materials...............................................................................................97
3.4.7 Protectivecoatingson polymer against atomic oxygen inLow
Earth Orbit......................................................................................................97
3.5 Materialsexperiments instratosphere......................................................................98
3.6 Structural transformations inpolymers under high-energyparticles....................112
3.7 Chemicalreactionsinpolymers exposedto radiation...........................................126
3.8 Material selection and standards............................................................................135
3.9 Uncured materials ina freespace environment.....................................................136
CHAPTER 4 Chemical curing of composite materials on Earth..........................137
4.1 Epoxy resins............................................................................................................138
4.2 Hardenersfor epoxy resins.....................................................................................155
4.3 Epoxy compositions for space applications...........................................................162
4.4 Curingkinetics of epoxy resins..............................................................................166
4.5 Ultravioletcuringkinetics......................................................................................189
CHAPTER 5 Chemical curing in a vacuum..........................................................197
CHAPTER 6 Chemical curing in plasma and ion beams.....................................253
6.1 Uncured solidepoxy resin inplasma.....................................................................253
6.2 Cured solidepoxy resin inplasma.........................................................................262
6.3 Liquid epoxy compositionsin plasma....................................................................263
6.4 Liquid ultraviolet-curable compositionin plasma.................................................289
6.5 Mechanical properties ofcomposite curedin plasma............................................294
CHAPTER 7 Chemical curing in temperature variations.....................................303
CHAPTER 8 Chemical curing in flights................................................................329
8.1 Stratospheric flight experiments.............................................................................329
8.1.1 Firststratospheric flight from Alice Springs in2009..................................330
8.1.2 Secondstratospheric flight from adelaidein 2012......................................347
Contents vii
8.1.3 Thirdstratospheric flight fromMoscowregion onApr. 21, 2013..............361
8.1.4 Fourthandfifth stratospheric flightsfrom Moscowregionon
Apr. 5 and27,2014......................................................................................364
8.1.5 Sixth stratospheric flight from Moscowregionon Jun. 6, 2014.................369
8.1.6 Seventh,eighth andninth stratospheric flightsfrom Moscowregion
inDec. 2014.................................................................................................379
8.1.7 Tenth andeleventhstratospheric flightsfrom Moscowregion
in2016..........................................................................................................386
8.2 Space orbit flight experiments................................................................................390
8.3 Ground facility for curing insimulated spaceflightenvironment..........................394
CHAPTER 9 Composite wall structures................................................................399
9.1 Selection offibers andresins...............................................................................399
9.2 Prepregwinding....................................................................................................402
9.3 Prepregimpregnation............................................................................................407
9.4 Wall structure........................................................................................................410
9.5 Design of the construction....................................................................................412
9.6 Windows and dockingelements...........................................................................424
9.7 Folding..................................................................................................................425
9.8 Storage requirements on the Earth.......................................................................428
9.9 Launch requirements............................................................................................429
9.10 Storage inorbit.....................................................................................................429
9.11 Deployment inspace............................................................................................430
CHAPTER 10 Curing process in Earth orbit.........................................................435
10.1 LagrangeL point.................................................................................................435
2
10.2 Earth orbits...........................................................................................................436
10.3 Moon orbit............................................................................................................489
10.4 Mars orbit..............................................................................................................492
10.5 Venus orbit............................................................................................................494
10.6 Constructionon surface ofother celestialbodies................................................495
10.6.1 Curingon the moon’s surface..................................................................495
10.6.2 Curingon surface of mars and other planets...........................................497
10.7 Optimization of orbital flight...............................................................................497
CHAPTER 11 Evaluation of construction.............................................................501
11.1 Evaluation ofa constructionon Earth..................................................................502
11.1.1 Analysis of components...........................................................................502
11.1.2 Controlof assembly, storage, andtransportationof the construction
on Earth....................................................................................................504
11.2 Controlofunfolding inorbit................................................................................505
11.3 Controlofcuring inorbit.....................................................................................506
viii Contents
11.4 Evaluation ofcuredconstruction..........................................................................507
11.5 Defect detectionand healing................................................................................509
11.6 Use of oldconstructionsand materials................................................................511
CHAPTER 12 Large space habitat........................................................................513
12.1 Commonsystems for allcrewmissions...............................................................513
12.1.1 Installationof thermal systems................................................................514
12.1.2 Installationof radiation protection...........................................................516
12.1.3 Habitat architecture..................................................................................519
12.1.4 Installationof life supportsystem............................................................523
12.1.5 Installationof energeticsystems..............................................................533
12.1.6 Installationof bioenvironment.................................................................537
12.1.7 Artificial gravity.......................................................................................542
12.2 Some examplesofa largespace habitat..............................................................545
12.2.1 Orbital space station...............................................................................546
12.2.2 Orbital space factory..............................................................................548
12.2.3 Orbital spacegreenhouse.......................................................................549
12.2.4 Orbital communicationsstation.............................................................550
12.2.5 Space port...............................................................................................552
12.2.6 Space hotel.............................................................................................553
12.2.7 Spaceship for atrip insolarsystem.......................................................553
12.2.8 Moonbase..............................................................................................555
12.2.9 Mars base................................................................................................556
12.2.10 Venus base..............................................................................................557
12.2.11 Asteroid mining station..........................................................................557
12.2.12 Space colonyfor interstellar missions...................................................558
CHAPTER 13 Supporting space structures..........................................................563
13.1 Solar panels...........................................................................................................563
13.2 Thermal shields.....................................................................................................566
13.3 Largereflector.......................................................................................................566
13.4 Largesolar sail.....................................................................................................566
13.5 Largeantenna.......................................................................................................567
13.6 Technician set.......................................................................................................570
13.7 Spacegarage orhangar........................................................................................572
13.8 Rescue systems inspace.......................................................................................573
CHAPTER 14 Ground infrastructure......................................................................575
14.1 Cosmodrome structures........................................................................................575
14.2 Large-scalewinding machines.............................................................................577
14.3 Packing(folding) machines..................................................................................578
14.4 Transport container...............................................................................................578
Contents ix
CHAPTER 15 Prospective finances and investment............................................579
15.1 Cost of largespace constructions.........................................................................580
15.2 Cost of researchand development.......................................................................583
15.3 Customers.............................................................................................................587
15.4 Investmentprojectsof space technologies...........................................................590
Bibliography......................................................................................................................................593
Index..................................................................................................................................................609
