You are here

Multi-Use Coating for Abrasion Prevention, Wear Protection, and Lunar Dust Removal

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNX10CA47C
Agency Tracking Number: 084328
Amount: $600,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: X5.02
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2008
Award Year: 2010
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2009-12-16
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2013-03-15
Small Business Information
4914 Moores Mill Road
Huntsville, AL 35811-1558
United States
DUNS: 799114574
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Tim McKechnie
 Principal Investigator
 (256) 256-7653
 timmck@plasmapros.com
Business Contact
 Timothy McKechnie
Title: President
Phone: (256) 851-7653
Email: timmck@plasmapros.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

The deleterious effects of lunar dust, typically less than 50 µm in diameter, have to be addressed prior to establishing a human base and long duration human presence on the surface of the moon. These effects include abrasion of seals, gaskets, motors, actuators, gimbals, bearings, blocking of optical windows, and coating of thermal control surfaces and solar panels with lunar dust. Negative physiological effects due to dust inhalation by astronauts must be mitigated. Issues related to lunar dust have been identified since the Apollo missions; however, no credible mitigation techniques have been implemented to date. The essence of this proposed activity is to develop a multi-use coating system - a highly wear resistant coating surface for use in the space environment that can also perform as part of an electrically conductive circuit upon demand to minimize wear surface abrasion and, when electrically activated, repel fine lunar dust particles from wear surfaces, sealing surfaces, and complex geometries.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government