Future Materials Science Research on the International Space Station (1997) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
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The space environment also permits containeriess processing, thus eliminating impurities anct stresses introclucect by contact with container walls. The anticipated scientific results of microgravity materials-science research range from establishing baselines for funciamental materials processes to generating results of more direct commercial significance.
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To facilitate its review, NASA requested that the National Research Council conduct a stucly to (1) examine NASA's research plan for high-temperature, microgravity materials science; (2)
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The Committee on Materials Science Research on the International Space Station was convened uncler the auspices of the National Materials Advisory Board to conduct this study anct write this report. Because of the limited time allottect the study, the committee worked on the assumption that NASA's microgravity materials research program would continue unabated into the foreseeable future.
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Promising subjects for investigation incluclect: · nucleation anct metastable states · prediction and control of microstructure, pattern formation, and morphological stability · phase separation anct interfacial phenomena · transport phenomena · crystal growth, clefect generation, anct control · extraterrestrial processes anct technology clevelopment (e.g., welcting in a vacuum anct exploiting extraterrestrial materials for fuel, etc.) NASA'S MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH SOLICITATION AND SELECTION PROCESSES For NASA's Microgravity materials-science research program to conduct basic and appliecl research that expands our knowleclge base of materials behavior, the research program must be able to stimulate 2NASA also supports some in-house research through the University Space Research Association, but these activities follow a separate funding process and were not reviewed by the current committee.
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NASA should provide more information in future NRAs on the flexibility anct usefulness of the current SSFF Core concept. NASA should also consider changing the name of the SSFF Core to the Space Station Materials Research Facility or some other more inclusive title that would give researchers more insight into its scientific objectives anct experimental flexibility.
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During a portion of the third phase (i.e., the Requirements Definition Review phase) , the same experts are reconvened to conduct the Science Review anct recommenct whether projects merit hardware design anct clevelopment in preparation for flight experimentation.
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NASA neects to clevelop effective outreach methods to establish links to the best anct brightest members of the community anct thus to promote an unclerstancting and appreciation of the microgravity research program, the opportunities it offers, anct the ways researchers can make contact with relevant personnel within the NASA-affiliatect programs anct organizations. NASA must also determine how programs of microgravity research in these areas can best be iclentifiect anct clevelopect given a Bight scheclule that provides limited opportunities anct requires lengthy react-times.
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and that the DWG is inclepenclent of NASA personnel who couict be directly involved in the program. SPACE STATION FURNACE FACILITY CORE CAPABILITY The initial SSFF Core concept was clevisect cluring the late 1980s and early 1990s based on recommendations from the DWG; the SSFF Intercenter Science Advisory Panel, which consisted of two
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The question now is whether its capabilities can be extenclect to permit it to become a general facility for microgravity research in materials science anct engineering. Most of the scientific anct engineering issues
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l o support this expanclect research program, NASA should consider making the following modifications to the current SSFF Core concept: · re-examining all equipment in the current SSFF Core concept in terms of its applicability to the broadest range of materials research areas anct experiments · extending the temperature-control capabilities to Tower tempera tures · acicting capabilities to support containeriess experiments · installing a suitable vacuum system · accommodating (1) small quantities of other gases (e.g., oxygen or air)
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Any substantial reclefinition of the microgravity materials science research plan or redesign of the SSFF Core must be driven by the neects of a coherent, broact-basect, high-impact program of materials research carried out in a microgravity environment, and any potential studies of polymeric, ceramic, anct glass materials must be evaluated in the context of this larger research program. Recommendation.
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Space Studies Boarct, National Research Council. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
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