Liquid lubrication in space

Abstract Long-term reliable operational requirements of aerospace mechanisms have, with a few exceptions, furthered the state of the art in tribology. Space mission durations in the early 1960s were generally six months to a year. The proposed US Space Station scheduled to be launched in the 1990s must be continuously usable over a 10 to 20 year period. For mission lengths of over a year, liquid lubrication systems are used. In general, most spacecraft or satellites complete their operational lives without a lubrication-related failure. The application of these liquid lubricants in the space environment presents unique challenges. This article reviews the state of the art of liquid lubrication in space as well as its problems and solutions.

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