| Space tribology is a vital aspect of spacecraft mechanism design and survival. One of the major challenges in the area of tribo-testing has been the ability to relate results from one facility to the next, and to reduce the significant variation observed in measurements of tribological nature. A novel tribology facility has been designed at UTIAS in order to provide insight into these problems and is a one of a kind facility in Canadian aerospace research. The facility is capable of evaluating steady state friction and static friction properties of any material pair both in air and at high vacuum pressures of 10-5 torr. The facility was designed to provide insight into operations to be performed by the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). In conjunction with MD Robotics Canada, 13 material pairs were evaluated in order to determine sliding friction and stiction coefficients as a function of speed, load, distance and test atmosphere. Further testing was completed on Teflon polymer films in order to provide insight into the fundamental nature of sliding friction in a thermal-vacuum environment. |
