-- Goals of Workshop

• Premiere the NASA Space Mechanisms Handbook & Reference Guide CD ROM
• Assess the State of the Art of Spacecraft Drive System Technology
  • Is the current technology base adequate for future NASA Space Missions?
  • What are the most critical problem areas that should be addressed to insure future Space Mission success?
• Determine whether regular meetings would be of benefit to the space mechanisms technology community

• September 22 & 23, 1992 in Cleveland, OH
  • Determine the Space Mechanisms technology challenges for future NASA missions
  • Obtain an industry perspective on current and future problems as well the the community's capabilities to solve them
• May 17, 1994 in Cleveland, OH
  • Evaluate the current state-of-the-art and determine the type of information that should be included in a Space Mechanisms Handbook
• September 26-27, 1994 in Denver, CO
  • Determine Non-Ozone depleting cleaning methods for spacecraft lubricating systems

• Lubrication
• High Temperature Seals
• Actively Controlled Magnetic Bearings
• Permanent Magnet Magnetic Bearings
• Mechanical Backup Bearings
• Flywheels
• Probabilistic Prediction Methods
• Materials

Requirements for Planetary Vehicle Drives  Long-life, reliable, maintenance free  Works in extreme cold  Tolerant to large temperature differentials  Minimal friction losses & heat generation  Light-weight  Tolerant to abrasive dust  No outgas

 

Current Status of Planetary Vehicle Drives The only 'planetary qualified' drive is the harmonic drive Cannot operate below ~ -50o C (oil lubricated) Efficiency is low (60-80%) Flexspline is subject to fatigue failure Loads on bearings high Solid lubricant film wear rate high on gear teeth

Solid Lubricated Vehicle Drives for Planetary Exploration Objective Provide efficiency & long life in hostile planetary environments by developing a traction drive lubricated by solid lubricants Approach Optimize the solid lubricated rollers Design and build a prototype traction drive Test in simulated Mars/Moon environments

 

Solid Lubricated Vehicle Drives  for Planetary Exploration Experimental Facilities to Be Used Pin-on-disk and Block-on-ring rigs for screening tests  Vacuum Roller Contact Rig for roller durability tests Space Mechanisms Accelerated Test Chamber for prototype  tests Space mechanisms test chamber (with Mars Pathfinder wheel)

 

Testing Being Conducted to Develop Solid Lubricants for Backup Bearings Pin-on-Disk, Block-on- Ring, Roller-on-Roller, & High Speed Journal Bearing Rigs. Moist Air, Dry Air, Dry Nitrogen & Vacuum Atms. Various Commercially Available Sputtered MoS2 Films Effect of Counter-Face Speeds to 60,000 rpm in air and vacuum

Curator & responsible official: Fred.B.Oswald_AT_nasa.gov.
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Last modified 28 Nov 2006