NASA is investigating the use of inflatable habitat structures for orbital transfer and planetary applications. Since space structures are vulnerable to damage from micrometeoroid and orbital debris, it is important to investigate means of detecting such damage. This study was an investigation into methods for performing NDE on inflatable habitat modules. It was found that various electromagnetic imaging modalities from microwaves to terahertz imaging had the greatest potential for a viable, portable, NDE tool which could possibly be deployed aboard an inflatable habitat module.
Revised: June 2, 2010 |
Published: February 28, 2008
Citation
Madaras E.I., R.F. Anastasi, J.P. Seebo, G.F. Studor, G.F. Studor, D.L. McMakin, and R.O. Nellums, et al. 2008.The Potential for Imaging In-Situ Damage in Inflatable Space Structures. In AIP Conference Proceedings: Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation: 34th Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, 975, 437-444. Melville, New York:American Institute of Physics.PNNL-SA-57461.doi:10.1063/1.2902693