Project MMEDS (Manufacture Methods for Epoxy/Foam Deployable Structures)

EXPERIMENT BACKGROUND

The goal of the experiment is to create 54 test components while in microgravity. Three different manufacturing techniques will be used to produce these structures. The simplest method is to simply inject the expanding chemical into the stowed Mylar structure and allow it to cure for 30 seconds.

The second method is exactly like the first, however, a motor rotates the entire test component so that a build up of the chemical is created on the walls of the inner structure.

The third method is to take off the rotated test components and re-inject the hollow core with more of the chemical.

The only instrument that will be taken aboard the aircraft is a camcorder to record the actions of the flight crew so that we may be able to explain any mishaps in test component production as a result of the actions of the flight crew. This camera will be located directly in front of the experiment on the other side of the KC-135 cabin, mounted on a camera stand provided by the reduced gravity office.

Three types of test components will be made by three different methods. Therefore, there will be nine specimens for each type totaling 27 specimens. Each set of 9 specimens will be tested as follows: three in compression, three in tension, and three in shear. Stress-strain diagrams for each test component will be produced.

After the 54 test components have been created in the microgravity environment they will be sequentially tested to failure. We will need at least three types of each test component for each of the tests in order to apply basic mechanics of materials theory to develop reliable stress strain curves. 27 test components will be produced per day so that we may have redundant specimens needed to successfully acquire all the expected data from the experiment.

Results from this experiment will consist three types of test components will be made by three different methods. Therefore, there will be nine specimens for each type totaling 27 specimens. Each set of 9 specimens will be tested as follows: three in compression, three in tension, and three in shear. Stress-strain diagrams for each test component will be produced. Our results can be applied to spacecraft designs requiring large deployable structures such as antennas or solar sails. If successful, the experiment may prove that this type of technology has potential for low cost flight hardware, significant mechanical packaging effectiveness, deployment reliability and low weight (Freeland, 2000).