JAPANESE SPACE MATERIALS EXPOSURE EXPERIMENT UTILIZING INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

摘要

A space materials exposure experiment was performed on the International Space Station (ISS) using the Micro-Particles Capturer and Space Environment Exposure Device (MPAC&SEED) developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The experiment was executed on the exterior of the Russian Service Module (SM) of the ISS. The SM/MPAC&SEED consists of the MPAC, which captures the space debris, and the SEED, which exposes the polymeric materials, paint, adhesives, bearings, and compound material. Three identical MPAC&SEED units were launched on 21 August 2001. The three units were individually retrieved after exposure of 315 days (about 10 months), 865 days (about 28 months), and 1403 days (about 46 months). The characteristic changes of some samples in the first retrieval (exposed for about 10 months) and in the second retrieval (exposed for about 28 months) are described. Some of the surfaces had turned a uniform brown color and had numerous colored spots because of contamination. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was performed to determine the atomic contents and contamination conditions.