electrical arc ignition testing of spacesuit materials
TRANSCRIPT
1
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
Elec
tric
al A
rc Ig
nitio
n Te
stin
g of
Sp
aces
uit M
ater
ials
Oct
ober
200
6
Sar
ah S
mith
Tim
Gal
lus
Susa
na T
apia
Eliz
abet
h Ba
llH
arol
d B
eeso
n
2
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
2
Bac
kgro
und
•Te
stin
g in
resp
onse
to
fraye
d ca
ble
disc
over
ed
durin
g sp
acew
alk
•R
elia
nce
on A
pollo
-era
arc
te
stin
g–
Lim
ited
appl
icab
ility
to c
urre
nt
mat
eria
ls–
Sig
nific
ant c
hang
es in
vol
tage
an
d ci
rcui
try–
Poo
r und
erst
andi
ng o
f tes
t co
nfig
urat
ion
3
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
3
Test
Obj
ectiv
es
•G
ain
bette
r und
erst
andi
ng o
f Apo
llo-e
ra d
ata
•In
vest
igat
e ne
w te
st m
etho
ds•
Cha
ract
eriz
e m
inim
um c
urre
nt le
vels
nec
essa
ry fo
r co
mbu
stio
n of
EM
U m
ater
ials
(at a
giv
en v
olta
ge)
4
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
4
Test
Sam
ple
Mat
eria
ls
5
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
5
6
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
6
Test
Met
hods
•M
ultip
le lo
catio
n in
term
itten
t arc
ing
(scr
atch
) tes
t •
Sin
gle
loca
tion
inte
rmitt
ent a
rcin
g (p
oke)
test
•S
ingl
e lo
catio
n w
ire-b
reak
arc
ing
test
7
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
7
Scra
tch
Test
Obj
ectiv
es
•S
imul
ate
Apo
llo-e
ra te
stin
g•
Det
erm
ine
conf
igur
atio
nale
ffect
s•
Test
mat
eria
ls c
urre
ntly
use
d in
the
EM
U
8
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
8
9
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
9
Slit
in T
est S
ampl
e
Styl
us
Cot
ton
Scra
tch
Test
Vid
eo
10
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
10
Scra
tch
Test
Res
ults
•Te
stin
g yi
elde
d re
sults
sim
ilar t
o A
pollo
-era
test
ing
•Fr
ayed
mat
eria
ls m
ore
reac
tive
•N
o di
stin
guis
habl
e di
ffere
nce
betw
een
horiz
onta
l sa
mpl
es a
nd v
ertic
al s
ampl
es•
Test
s pe
rform
ed a
t 23.
5 ps
ia10
0% O
2, 2
2.5
V–
7 m
ater
ials
test
ed–
Cur
rent
requ
ired
for i
gniti
on ra
nged
from
0
.8 A
to 1
.4 A
11
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
11
Entir
e D
ata
Plot
12
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
12
Clo
seup
Dat
a Pl
ot
13
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
13
Scra
tch
Test
Pro
blem
s
•N
ot p
ossi
ble
to d
eter
min
e w
hich
arc
igni
ted
mat
eria
l•
Arc
ene
rgie
s va
ry w
idel
y fro
m te
st to
test
and
arc
to a
rc•
Diff
icul
t to
ensu
re th
at te
st s
ampl
e m
ater
ial i
s in
intim
ate
cont
act w
ith a
rcin
g ev
ent
•C
onfig
urat
ion
not r
ealis
tic fo
r ins
ide
spac
esui
t bec
ause
of
siz
e of
sty
lus
14
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
14
Poke
Tes
t Obj
ectiv
es
•D
eter
min
e w
heth
er m
ore
seve
re to
arc
with
wire
s or
st
ylus
•D
eter
min
e w
heth
er m
ore
seve
re to
arc
in s
ingl
e lo
catio
n (p
oke
test
) or m
ultip
le lo
catio
ns (s
crat
ch te
st)
15
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
15
16
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
16
Poke
Tes
t Res
ults
•P
oke
test
resu
lts c
onsi
sten
t with
scr
atch
test
resu
lts–
No
dete
ctab
le d
iffer
ence
bet
wee
n ar
cing
in o
ne lo
catio
n or
m
ultip
le lo
catio
ns
•Te
sts
show
ed th
at it
is m
ore
seve
re to
arc
with
a w
ire
than
a s
tylu
s
–W
ires
are
flam
mab
le a
nd c
an b
urn
in o
xyge
n–
Bur
ning
wire
s ea
sily
igni
te te
st m
ater
ials
17
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
17
Poke
Tes
t Pro
blem
s
•N
ot p
ossi
ble
to d
eter
min
e w
hich
arc
igni
ted
mat
eria
l•
Arc
ene
rgie
s va
ry w
idel
y fro
m te
st to
test
and
arc
to a
rc•
Diff
icul
t to
ensu
re th
at te
st s
ampl
e m
ater
ial i
s in
intim
ate
cont
act w
ith a
rcin
g ev
ent
18
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
18
Wire
-bre
ak T
est O
bjec
tives
•R
educ
e va
riabi
lity
in te
sts
•Te
st a
ll m
ater
ials
•D
eter
min
e w
heth
er ig
nitio
n is
dep
ende
nt o
n vo
ltage
or
curr
ent
19
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
19
9.00
1550
0.00
6334
0.35
150.
0006
254
0.45
240.
0007
852
0.50
300.
0008
851
0.63
390.
001
50
0.70
470.
0011
49
0.83
560.
0012
48
0.90
770.
0014
47
1.10
100
0.00
1646
1.30
127
0.00
1845
1.50
156
0.00
244
1.80
189
0.00
2243
2.30
244
0.00
2542
2.60
306
0.00
2841
3.00
375
0.00
3140
3.80
479
0.00
3539
5.00
625
0.00
438
App
roxi
mat
e C
urre
nt
Req
uire
d to
Bre
ak W
ire
(A)
% o
f Flig
ht W
ire C
ross
S
ectio
nal A
rea
Dia
met
er (i
n.)
AW
G S
ize
21
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
21
Cot
ton
Wire
-Bre
ak T
est V
ideo
22
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
22
Hig
h Sp
eed
Cot
ton
Wire
-bre
ak T
est V
ideo
Wire
23
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
23
Typi
cal D
ata
Plot
24
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
24
Clo
seup
Dat
a Pl
ot
25
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
25
Wire
-bre
ak T
est R
esul
ts
•M
uch
mor
e se
vere
than
scr
atch
and
pok
e te
sts
•Te
st c
ondi
tions
–23
.5 p
sia
100%
O2,
22.
5 V
–50
psi
a50
% O
2 an
d 50
% N
2, 1
5 V
•S
ever
al m
ater
ials
faile
d te
stin
g at
the
low
est p
ossi
ble
curr
ent,
~0.3
A•
Cur
rent
requ
ired
for i
gniti
on fo
r mos
t mat
eria
ls ra
nged
fro
m <
0.3
A to
0.9
7 A
26
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
26
Wire
-Bre
ak T
est R
esul
ts (c
ont.)
•G
ore-
Tex
only
igni
ted
unde
r muc
h m
ore
seve
re
cond
ition
s–
100%
O2,
54
psia
–Zi
gzag
wire
con
figur
atio
n
27
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
27
Wire
-bre
ak T
ests
vs.
Scr
atch
Tes
ts
1.3
0.49
LCV
G tr
icot
1.4
0.53
LCVG
spa
ndex
1.4
0.64
Ast
rona
ut u
nder
garm
ent
1.3
0.59
Nyl
on/L
ycra
Com
mC
ap
0.700.3
0.36
Wire
Tes
t Ava
ilabl
e C
urre
nt
at Ig
nitio
n (A
)
1.4
UC
N (s
hiny
sid
e)
0.8
Mol
eski
n
0.95
Gen
eric
cot
ton
Scr
atch
Tes
t Ava
ilabl
e C
urre
nt a
t Ign
ition
(A)
Mat
eria
l
23.5
psi
a10
0% O
2, 2
2.5
V
28
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
28
Ure
than
e-co
ated
Nyl
on
0510152025303540
01
23
45
67
Cur
rent
(A)
Voltage (V)
No
Igni
tion
Igni
tion
21.8
Wat
t Pow
er C
urve
2.5
V, 4
.99
A
29
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
29
Mol
eski
n
051015202530
00.
10.
20.
30.
40.
50.
60.
7
Cur
rent
(A)
Voltage (V)
6.8
Wat
t Pow
er C
urve
Igni
tion
No
Igni
tion
1.3
V, 0
.25
A
Fuzz
yM
oles
kin
Wor
st
Fuzz
yG
ener
ic c
otto
n
Fuzz
yK
erlix
dres
sing
Fuzz
yTC
U a
ssem
bly
(Cap
ilene
®–
hollo
w fi
ber p
olye
ster
trea
ted
with
3%
TC
HD
E so
lutio
n) (g
ray)
Fuzz
yC
otto
n flo
cked
Ruc
otha
ne®
glov
e bl
adde
r
Sm
ooth
LCV
G g
arm
ent i
nner
line
r (ny
lon
trico
t tre
ated
with
3%
TC
HD
E so
lutio
n)
Sm
ooth
LCV
G g
arm
ent (
mul
tifila
men
t nyl
on /
span
dex
knit
1106
trea
ted
with
3%
TC
HD
E s
olut
ion)
Sm
ooth
CC
A ca
p sp
ande
x (n
ylon
& L
ycra
®kn
it fa
bric
)
Fuzz
yA
stro
naut
long
hand
leun
derg
arm
ent
Sm
ooth
Ure
than
e-co
ated
nyl
on s
uit b
ladd
er (s
hiny
sid
e)
Sm
ooth
Inte
rface
cab
le p
olyu
reth
ane
jack
et
Sm
ooth
PV
C
Sm
ooth
Ure
than
e-co
ated
nyl
on s
uit b
ladd
er (f
abric
sid
e)
Sm
ooth
Inte
rface
cab
le G
ore-
Tex®
slee
veB
est
Sur
face
C
hara
cter
istic
sM
ater
ial
31
NA
SA
Whi
te S
ands
Tes
t Fac
ility
31
Con
clus
ions
•W
ire-b
reak
test
is w
orst
-cas
e•
Fuzz
y m
ater
ials
gen
eral
ly e
asie
r to
igni
te•
Cur
rent
app
ears
to h
ave
grea
ter e
ffect
than
vol
tage
•C
ontro
lling
risk
mus
t inc
lude
bot
h–
Phy
sica
l iso
latio
n of
eas
y to
igni
te m
ater
ials
–Li
miti
ng c
urre
nt a
nd v
olta
ge