SCATHA conductive spacecraft materials development

The development of new or modified spacecraft materials that would limit, control, and/or prevent spacecraft charging was included as part of the cooperative, interdependent Air Force/NASA Spacecraft Charging/ Spacecraft Charging at High Altitudes (SCATHA) program. Materials of interest included conductive polymers, paints, transparent f i lms and coatings, as well as fabric coatings and interweaves. The evaluation of materials charging/discharging properties in ihe laboratory as well as under simulated and actual space substorm charging conditions were included in the overall integrated SCATHA program. Conductive inorganic thermal control paints with a range of thermo-optical properties were developed and have been successfully applied to operational spacecraft. Conductive transparent indium oxide and indium tin oxide spacecraft charging control coatings have been developed to control the charging of flexible Kapton and FEP Teflon polymeric thermal control materials, OSR and solar cell covers, and other nonconductive dielectric surfaces. A conductive glass for application as OSR and solar ceil cover glasses lhas been prepared. Fabric spacecraft charging control materials have been developed and evaluated. Conductive adhesives for use in conjunction with conductive antistatic spacecraft charging materials have been developed.