Space-bound coatings from NASA Marshall Center paint possibility of improved earthly products

Researchers from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,
Ala., examine colorful coatings destined for the International Space
Station. Engineered to better withstand the punishing effects of the Sun,
extreme temperatures and other elements, the samples will be flown 220 miles
above the Earth — outside the Space Station and unprotected by Earth’s
atmosphere.

By examining how the coatings fare in the harsh environment of
space, researchers — including the Marshall Center’s Rachel Kamenetzky,
holding tray, and Miria Finckenor — seek new insight into making paints and
other materials last longer on Earth.

The research is part of the Materials International Space Station
Experiment (MISSE) – a project that will test the durability of hundreds of
samples ranging from lubricants to solar cell technologies.

Joining other experiments from the public and private sectors, the
samples from Marshall will be flown outside the Space Station for one year
beginning in July.

The MISSE study is a cooperative effort by the Marshall Center; Air
Force Material Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio; Boeing
Phantom Works in Seattle; and other NASA Centers, including Langley Research
Center in Hampton, Va., Johnson Space Center in Houston and Glenn Research
Center in Ohio.