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Completed TRL 5 (started at 4, targeting 5)
Validation of a new, lightweight, coating material for solar array interconnects that can reduce erosion from electric propulsion thruster plumes that will increase the reliability and decrease the cost of solar arrays for long duration, high-power solar electric propulsion missions.
Electric propulsion thruster plume erosion rate lower than that of the current standard Room Temperature Vulcanized (RTV) CV-1142 at Xenon ion energies between 250 and 600 eV and angles between 0 and 60 degrees.A coating that adheres to Kovar (solar cell interconnect material) and remains adherent during exposure to electric propulsion thruster plume at Xenon ion energies between 250 and 600 eV and angles between 0 and 60 degrees.
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