Are carbon fiber composites viable for use in spacecraft?

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This question will not fetch a yes or no answer. The topic needs to be reviewed in detail with proven experiences of users. Whereas, advanced materials like carbon fiber sheets or carbon fiber prepegs are known to have some impressive physical properties, it remains a natural fact that perfection simply does not exist. Let us examine herein, the benefits and limitations of products made from carbon fiber sheets, carbon fiber prepegs, and other versions of these wonderful composite materials.

Suitability requirements for spacecraft

The requirements of space missions are diverse. One way of looking at them is based on the phases of the journey of most missions:

• Take-off and journey through the atmospheric column: The high strength to weight ratio of carbon fiber composites make them suitable for optimization of fuel load of the rocket and the stages. High pressure storage devices for fuels and other liquids require strong walls which are possible using the carbon fiber filaments, sheets and prepegs. Solid motor casings and nozzles of rockets are a few examples of carbon fiber materials.
• Escape from earth’s gravity:  The high modulus strength of carbon fiber composites is again useful in quicker and cost-effective escape from the earth’s gravity as compared with metals and alloys
• Entry into the environment of destination celestial body: Entry and landing may involve impact with the body’s surface and thus the superiority of carbon fiber composites is exhibited in the structural components.
• Survival on the celestial body: During the survival, dimensional stability may be critical for functionalities of various parts, and here again, the composites made from carbon fiber sheets are found useful
• Maintainability of functional parameters: Locomotion on the foreign body’s terrain may involve vibrations and impacts which also seem aligned to the properties of carbon fiber composites.
• Take-off and journey through the atmospheric column and escape from gravity of the body: similar to the take-off from home
• Retravel through space: asteroids may be encountered and therefore carbon-fiber based components will better withstand.
• Entry into earth’s atmosphere and gravity: This is a critical phase where extreme temperatures are experienced that require a high level of protection, and generally, may not be well complied by composites
• Landing requirements: Landing on land or sea-water may involve impacts, and hence find favor with carbon fiber-based composites

Suitability for Satellites

It may not be out of place here to look at the suitability of carbon fiber-based composites in the construction of satellites. Most satellites need a strong design to sustain impacts from asteroids, and the temperature changes. Payload adopters, pressure vessels, oxygen containers and cones are examples of applications of carbon fiber composites.  Strained laminated fabrication of pressure vessels using filament winding is also sometimes adopted in this application. The favorable structural properties of carbon fiber composites are utilized in making structural components.

Reflectors and solar-panel support also require carbon fiber prepegs and carbon fiber sheet materials for high level of support and stability.

Recent advancements

Carbon nano tubes have a cylindrical alignment of atoms and such tubes are known to be much stronger than conventional Carbon fiber based composite elements or building blocks. Work is going on currently to use more and more carbon-nanotube based materials. Even yarns are being developed using carbon nanotubes and the resultant filaments shall have still better strength to weight ratio as compared with conventional carbon-fiber based filaments. Carbon nano tubes can be used in single wall and multi wall configurations. Besides the good thermal properties, carbon-nanotube based parts can be designed to have better electrical conductivity which is necessary for shielding of payloads. A predetermined proportion of graphene oxide and carbon nano tubes results in desired levels of electrical and thermal conductivity. Hybridization is also a related process.

Limitations of Carbon-Fiber based materials

The thermal properties of carbon fiber products are limited and there is a concern during re-entry of spaceships into the earth’s atmosphere.

Recent news about Space-X announcing replacement of carbon-fiber based materials in spaceship, with a special stainless-steel alloy to overcome the overheating of carbon-fiber based components during re-entry.

Wrapping up

There is no doubt that carbon fiber composites have immense viability for use in spacecrafts. Despite few limitations, carbon fiber composites continue to be a preferred set of materials for certain components of spacecraft and their use will keep on growing in the years to come. Like any other advanced materials, the carbon fiber composites will have a long phase of evolution. Scientists will conduct more and more customizations of these materials for the success of their missions.