ATSP Innovations, Inc. SBIR Phase I Award, May 2021

Reversible adhesives arenbsp;an attractive option for assembly and disassembly of reconfigurable space structures due to the simplicity of the fastening concept. This enables space frame construction concepts where the unit members would quickly bond at the joints. Additionally, persistent asset structures that allow temporary or permanent rigid mechanical attachment at an arbitrary point on their surface at any time may enhance their long term utility. These would allow additional components to be held fast on the exterior surface of the deployed craft without the need for pre-built attachment points. A convenient method for producing this result would be an adhesive that could bond these structures following arbitrary lengths of time while in LEO, lunar, or deep space environments. ATSP Innovations has developed such a reversible adhesive concept based on solid state bond exchange reactions between polymeric interfaces composed of a novel thermoset resin system called aromatic thermosetting copolyester (ATSP). This concept has been successfully demonstrated on Earth including in radiation environments. ATSP Innovations proposes development of a flight package for a MISSE-FF experiment berth to validate these properties. A compact package that would be exposed to LEO would be designed and fabricated with exposed surfaces of the reversible adhesive for future testing on return to Earth. Prior to flight, mechanical, morphological, and chemical state of samples would be assessed via nanoindentation, 3D laser-based profilometry, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine upon return other notable changes in the samples. This project would be the validation of the first polymeric structural adhesive concept usable in a space environment.nbsp;This concept is potentially usable in any position in the solar system where the temperature is less than 300 deg;C.nbsp;