16 ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | MARCH 2024 The lesson learned is that testing must be tuned for the intended end-use, including location of the finished product. Other factors to consider for outdoor exposure include time of year. For example, corrosion may not be as severe if testing was only performed for a few months during an extended dry season. Coatings improvement and corrosion prevention requires a combination of simulated exposure in the laboratory and real-world exposure at an outdoor facility. The process is iterative, as shown in Fig. 11. It can be time consuming, and depends on many factors such as supply chain, cost, schedule, and environmental impacts (toxicity, Zero Waste goals, etc.). As President Kennedy notably stated, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” That quote remains valid today, over 60 years later, as the design and fabrication of space launch systems continues to be a very challenging and complex undertaking. History has shown that advances in materials science and processing do not increase in a linear fashion over time, but rather in cycles; and such cycles are primarily a function of available financial and human resources. There is no doubt that humans will eventually colonize the moon, Mars, and beyond. Developing the necessary technologies to accomplish these goals will take longstanding investment, but the benefit to Earth and humankind will be unprecedented. ~AM&P For more information: Thomas N. Ackerson, P.E., principal M&P engineer – Metallurgy and Failure Analysis, Blue Origin LLC, 8082 Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, FL 32953, 205.821.0924, tackerson@blueorigin.com. References 1. CSIS Aerospace Security Project (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, Launch Cost per Kilogram of Payload [dataset]. CSIS Aerospace Security Project (2022) [original data]. 2. NASA, Materials and Manufacturing: Additive Manufacturing: Pioneering Affordable Aerospace Manufacturing, https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/ uploads/2015/04/additive_mfg.pdf. 3. Titanium: Physical Metallurgy, Processing, and Applications, ed. F.H. Froes, 2015, doi.org/10.31399/ asm.tb.tpmpa.9781627083188. 4. NASA, Space Shuttle Technology Summary: Friction Stir Welding, https:// www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/ 2016/08/104835main_friction.pdf. 5. ASTM B117, Standard Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus, ASTM International. 6. MIL-STD-5541, Chemical Conversion Coatings on Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys, 11 July 2006. Fig. 10 — Variations in degree of corrosion a er three months of outdoor exposure between the three locations. Fig. 11 — Protective coatings improvement cycle. To appear in the listings, visit AMPdirectory.com/addyourcompany Simplify Your Search for Vendors Find the right solutions for your business. Search for products, research companies, connect with suppliers, and make confident purchasing decisions all in one place. AMPdirectory.com
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTYyMzk3NQ==