So you want to build that rocket you’ve been dreaming of? Do it! According to the super nerds that study lubricant applications for space travel, know that space travel has the following effect on your gear:
- During launch– random vibrations, acoustic noise and extensive loads may cause fretting on bearings. Fretting is wear and corrosion on the contact surfaces.
- Temperature fluctuations– They’re pretty intense outside of our atmosphere, so your lubricants need to be capable of handling temps from cryogenic to hundreds of degrees celcius.
- The Vacuum of space -this can lead to evaporation of lubricants which can cause failure and contamination of instruments.
- Radiation – not good on anything out there. According to some PhD. That spends a lot of time wondering about lubricants used ion outer space.. radiation breaks down lubricants.
