ADVANCES IN OPTICAL PROPERTY MEASUREMENTS OF SPACECRAFT MATERIALS

摘要

This report describes some of the instruments and experimental approaches available for measuring optical properties of thermal control materials. It also describes the instruments' uses in laboratory studies of the effects of combined contaminants and the space environment on these materials, and in the qualification of hardware for spacecraft. In recent years, several instruments for measurement of solar absorptance (a) and infrared emittance (e) have been introduced. These instruments offer improved speed, accuracy, and data-handling, all of which substantially improve the study of contaminated thermal control materials. A transient method for directly measuring material e is also described, and the results are compared with other instruments. In addition, our understanding of oxygen exposure effects on the a of materials following contamination or exposure to simulated space conditions shows that oxygen exposure before measuring a should be avoided.