Materials charging investigations for JUICE.

Autor: Delacourt, Bruno, Dias, Nuno, Polsak, Andreas W., Milassin, Gabor, Tighe, Adrian P., Lanuti, Mario, Bongers, Edward, Rampini, Riccardo
Zdroj: CEAS Space Journal; Jul2021, Vol. 13 Issue 3, p493-508, 16p
Abstrakt: Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is a large (L-class) mission led by the European Space Agency (ESA). It will explore Jupiter and its system. The spacecraft's external materials will endure a wide range of temperatures and the harsh Jovian environment. Scientific measurements require that any gradient of electrical potential along the external surfaces of the spacecraft should be kept under few Volts. This constitutes a challenge concerning materials selection. In this frame, charging behaviour of white thermal control coatings named PCBE, Z-93C55, and AZ-2000-IECW was investigated in our dedicated facility. Surface potential decay method, direct current (DC) resistance, and on-surface DC resistance measurements were used. Included in this investigation, aged multi-layer insulation (MLI) outmost layers of germanium/1.6 mil 160 XC Black Kapton/vapour-deposited aluminium (VDA) and of StaMet/1.6 mil 160 XC Black Kapton/VDA were also characterized. For the solar wings external surfaces, rear side's Black Kapton skin configurations were measured after electron radiation and solar cells cover glass indium tin oxide (ITO) coating were measured during atomic oxygen exposure. Testing temperatures range from − 210 to 20 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
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