Kurt Schneider

10/13/14

Atomic Oxygen
Atomic oxygen bombardment is a key contributor to surface degradation, erosion and
contamination of materials and is found in the low earth orbit (LEO). First observed with the
early shuttle flights from a visible effect on exposed polymer surfaces, and might be related to
the visible glow on reentry. The degradation is caused by high speeds and collision energies
which initiate chemical and physical reactions that penetrate the materials surface. On polymers
the bombardment causes significant etching and erosion. Even when covered by a thin layer of
metal, wherever there was a preexisting pin hole in the metal caused cavities to form in the
polymer underneath.
To prevent atomic oxygen from compromising a spacecraft, protective coatings must be
applied so that the spacecraft can last as long as it needs to. Certain materials react much
faster to atomic oxygen such as the polymer Kapton, a common material used. The most
common protective film is a thin metal film which is resistant to atomic oxygen and there for
protects the polymers underneath. These films are susceptible to scratches and holes which will
cause the underlying polymer to degrade at these locations. The number of such defects can be
reduced can be reduce by also applying a surface level coating. The bombardment of the
atomic oxygen only occurs on the side of the direction a spacecraft is traveling so only that side
of the spacecraft needs to be coated. This also reduces the risk that atomic oxygen will get
trapped underneath and oxidizing the polymer underneath.

references
Bruce A. Banks, Kim K. de Groh, and Sharon K. Miller.
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20040191331.pdf. 2004. october
2014.
(http://www.reading.ac.uk/ir-spaceenvironment-atomicoxygen.aspx)