Full-Scale System for Quantifying Leakage of Docking System Seals for Space Applications

Author:: Daniels, Christopher C.
Published:: October 2007.
Physical Description:: 1 electronic document
Additional Creators:: Robbie, Malcolm G., Penney, Nicholas, Wasowski, Janice L., Dunlap, Patrick H., Jr., Drlik, Gary J., Erker, Arthur H., Steinetz, Bruce M., and Tong, Michael T.

Online Version

hdl.handle.net , Connect to this object online.

Availability

Finding items...

Restrictions on Access:

Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available.
Free-to-read Unrestricted online access

Summary:

NASA is developing a new docking and berthing system to support future space exploration missions to low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars. This mechanism, called the Low Impact Docking System, is designed to connect pressurized space vehicles and structures. NASA Glenn Research Center is playing a key role in developing advanced technology for the main interface seal for this new docking system. The baseline system is designed to have a fully androgynous mating interface, thereby requiring a seal-on-seal configuration when two systems mate. These seals will be approximately 147 cm (58 in.) in diameter. NASA Glenn has designed and fabricated a new test fixture which will be used to evaluate the leakage of candidate full-scale seals under simulated thermal, vacuum, and engagement conditions. This includes testing under seal-on-seal or seal-on-plate configurations, temperatures from -50 to 50 C (-58 to 122 F), operational and pre-flight checkout pressure gradients, and vehicle misalignment (plus or minus 0.381 cm (0.150 in.)) and gapping (up to 0.10 cm (0.040 in.)) conditions. This paper describes the main design features of the test rig and techniques used to overcome some of the design challenges.

Other Subject(s):

Spacecraft Design, Testing and Performance

Collection:

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) Collection.

Note:

Document ID: 20070035077.
E-16218.
NASA/TM-2007-215024.
AIAA Paper 2007-5742.
43rd Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit; 8-11 Jul. 2007; Cincinnati, OH; United States.

Terms of Use and Reproduction:

View MARC record | catkey: 16001068