History of protective coating development at the Kennedy Space Center

摘要

The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is a major source of corrosion expertise. The launch environment at KSC is extremely corrosive due to the combination of ocean salt spray, heat, humidity, and sunlight. With the introduction of the Space Shuttle in 1981, the already highly corrosive conditions at the launch pad were rendered more severe with the acidic exhaust from the Shuttle's solid rocker boosters (SRBs). Corrosion studies began at KSC in 1966, during the Gemini/Apollo Programs, with the evaluation of long-term protective coatings aimed at protecting the infrastructure at the launch site. NASA/KSC's Beach Corrosion Test Site (BCTS) was established at that time. In the years that followed, numerous studies at the site have identified materials, coatings, and procedures aimed at maintaining the launch hardware and equipment exposed to the highly corrosive environment at the launch pad. Results from these evaluations have helped KSC personnel find new materials and processes that increase the safety and reliability of our launch structures and ground support equipment.