ISSN: 1546-962X
Page Count: 18

Electrical Arc Ignition Testing of Spacesuit Materials
Smith, S
Project Leader, GeoControls Systems, NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility, NM

Gallus, T
Chemical Engineer, Muniz Engineering, Inc., NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility, NM

Tapia, S
Project Manager, NASA Laboratories Office, NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility, NM

Ball, E
Technical Editor, Jacobs Sverdrup, NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility, NM

Beeson, H
Project Manager, NASA Laboratories Office, NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility, NM

(Received 26 October 2005; accepted 17 May 2006)

Abstract

A frayed wire was found inside the extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) spacesuit, which led to concerns that it may be possible to ignite materials in the EMU by electrical arcing. As a result, the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) White Sands Test Facility was requested by JSC to conduct arc-ignition tests on multiple EMU materials placed in varying oxygen concentrations. Because understanding the ignitability of materials requires simulating the worst-case scenario, three test methods were developed to understand what conditions were the most severe. The most severe method was then used to characterize the materials presently used in the EMU by determining the minimum levels of current necessary to initiate combustion at a given voltage. These arc-ignition tests were performed in 100 % oxygen at 23.5 psia and in 50 % oxygen at 50 psia. The following materials were tested: cotton fabric; polyester fabric; polyurethane cable jacket; Gore-Tex® woven polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fabric; nylon/Lycra® knit fabric; moleskin; nylon/spandex knit fabric; nylon tricot fabric; cotton-flocked Rucothane;® urethane-coated nylon; Kerlix® cotton dressing, Estane® polyurethane; and Capilene® hollow fiber polyester fabric.

Keywords:
oxygen, electrical arc ignition, extravehicular mobility unit, spacesuit materials, flammability materials testing

Paper ID: JAI13563
DOI: 10.1520/JAI13563
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