Characterizing Material Outgassing Risks in the NASA Landolt Space Mission for ODAR Compliance

Abstract

The NASA Landolt Space Mission is a $19.5 million initiative aiming to put an artificial star in orbit to support precision ground-based flux calibration. In preparation, materials must comply with NASA’s outgassing requirements, which regulate gas release within the vacuum of space. This is especially important due to the mission’s rideshare status as gaseous material can condense on the sensors of neighboring missions in the launch vehicle. NASA requires submission of an Orbital Debris Assessment Report (ODAR) under NPR 8715.6—NASA’s Procedural Requirements for limiting orbital debris—detailing outgassing risks. To satisfy “Thermal Vacuum Stability” as defined in NASA-STD-6016C (Standard Materials and Processes Requirements), materials must demonstrate a Total Mass Loss (TML) of ≤ 1.0% and a Collected Volatile Condensable Materials (CVCM) of ≤ 0.1%. Given the direct exposure of Landolt’s Multilayer Insulation (MLI)—a series of radiation and thermal shielding materials—to the vacuum of space, we identified MLI materials as a primary concern for outgassing. We compiled a list of common MLI components from the NASA Multilayer Insulation Material Guidelines to prepare a catalogue with outgassing data on each material. We sourced TML and CVSM from the NASA Outgassing Database. We included materials failing to meet the thresholds for TML and CVCM in the ODAR as outgassing risks, which will necessitate a future vacuum bake-out. Our rigorous assessment of outgassing risks will both ensure the Landolt Mission’s compliance with NASA’s protocols and longevity of the program.