Investigation of screen-vacuum thermal insulation (SVTI) after prolonged exploitation in a space environment conditions on external surfaces of space station 'MIR'

摘要

Screen-vacuum Thermal insulation (SVTI) is one of the main components in systems for maintenance of optimal thermal regime in almost all spacecraft (SC). Being situated on external surface of SC, SVTI is undergoing to influence of numerous factors of a space environment during all working life of the spacecraft. Thus the problem of permanency of main parameters of SVTI over a long period of exploitation in outer space has a great importance for elements of Russian segment of International Space Station, with scheduled lifetime about 15 years. The work on the evaluation of SVTI after its exposition in space was performed on space station "MIR" in limits of "Panorama" experiment. For this purpose fragments of SVTI from external surface of space station "MIR" were dismantled and delivered to Earth during exit of cosmonauts in outer space.