Hubble Space Telescope Metallized Teflon ® FEP thermal Control Materials: On-Orbit Degradation and Post-Retrieval Analysis

Abstract

During the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) second servicing mission (SM2), degradation of unsupported Teflon® FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene), used as the outer layer of the multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets, was evident as large cracks on the telescope light shield. A sample of the degraded outer layer was retrieved during the mission and returned to Earth for ground testing and evaluation. The results of the Teflon® FEP sample evaluation and additional testing of pristine Teflon® FEP led the investigative team to theorize that the HST damage was caused by thermal cycling with deep-layer damage from electron and proton radiation which allowed the propagation of cracks along stress concentrations, and that the damage increased with the combined total dose of electrons, protons, ultraviolet and x-ray radiation along with thermal cycling. This paper discusses the testing and evaluation of the retrieved Teflon® FEP.