The EMPL at the Kennedy Space Center has developed capabilities for the study and evaluation of the electrostatic properties of films and bulk materials as well as powders and granular materials. NASA scientists in the laboratory, partnering with Swales Aerospace, Dynacs Inc., and the Florida Institute of Technology, have been applying their expertise to enhance the research and development efforts in the electrostatics of materials. International collaborations with universities in Japan and the United States, as well as with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, make the EMPL a unique environment for these studies.

Figure 1. Environmental Thermal Vacuum Chamber

The Environmental Thermal Vacuum Chamber, developed primarily for the simulation of the Martian environment, is also used in electrostatic studies and testing in support of the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. This chamber is 2 meters in length and 1.3 meters in diameter and has a volume of 1.5 cubic meters (figure 1). The Environmental Thermal Vacuum Chamber has a vacuum depressurization time of 20 minutes and a controlled repressurization time of 10 minutes. It can be repressurized in an emergency in 10 minutes. The Environmental Thermal Vacuum Chamber can operate at temperatures ranging from -90 to +200 degrees Celsius (°C). It was outfitted with an automated control system with a graphical user interface for complete automation of pressure control, atmospheric control, and temperature control.

Figure 2. Triboelectric Test Robot

The Triboelectric Test Robot (TTR) instrument was recently completed in the EMPL to measure both the electrostatic generating potential and the electrostatic discharge time of films, clothing materials, space suits, solid foams, gloves, paints, and coatings (figure 2). The TTR is capable of testing 6 samples at a time and operates in the Environmental Thermal Vacuum Chamber under various atmospheric gases and at atmospheric pressures ranging from 0.2 to 1,000 millibars, temperatures ranging from -90 to +200 °C, and humidities ranging from near 0 to 100 percent.

Figure 3. Advanced Multisensor Electrometer

An advanced multisensor electrometer (figure 3) is currently being developed to measure the surface charge deposited onto a surface by means of dust transport. This electrometer is suited to test materials exposed to powders and dusts at high speeds under various environmental conditions to measure the charge buildup as particles come in contact with it. The instrument can be used to test not only a material’s response to charge accumulation but also a material’s ability to keep dust from adhering to it.

Figure 4. Low-Pressure Dust Impeller

Besides controlling the atmospheric conditions (temperature, pressure, and gases), the EMPL has the capability to reproduce windy conditions to disperse powders and dusts onto different materials. This need derived from the inability of convection to occur at low pressures. Since convection alone cannot propel dust at low pressures (approximately 1 millibar), the Low-Pressure Dust Impeller was developed to systematically disperse an amount of dust onto a surface at speeds up to 30 meters per second at low pressures (figure 4).

Contact: Dr. C.I. Calle (Carlos.Calle-1@ksc.nasa.gov), YA-C2-T, (321) 867-3274
Participating Organizations: YA-C2-T (Dr. R.H. Gompf, E.E. Groop, and M.D. Hogue), Florida Institute of Technology (Dr. J. Mantovani), Swales Aerospace (Dr. C. Buhler), Dynacs Inc. (A.W. Nowicki), and YA-F1-T (P.F. Richiuso)