General Information

Carbon Nanotubes for Space Applications Interchange Meeting

March 16-17, 2010
The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, Calif.

The greatest challenges that space programs face today are performance, reliability, safety, and cost. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) would have a substantial effect on space programs, improving each of these factors. Novel design concepts in future aerospace vehicles will depend on new lightweight composites to permit significant reduction of mass and size of components. The ability to tailor carbon nanotubes is attractive for these applications because of their extraordinary properties. However, a complete picture of key properties (mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical) and their role for improved performance in existing materials has yet to emerge.

This inaugural interchange meeting, sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, will focus on carbon nanotubes materials and their promise for future space platforms with emphasis on technological innovation and device-oriented implementation. The two-day meeting will serve to engage both government and industry communities in reviewing several promising technical approaches of CNT materials to space applications. Representatives from primary DoD contractors, funding agencies and other contributors will present their respective work and discuss their respective vision for CNTs in the field of nano-materials that are relevant to SMC’s mission of researching, developing, and purchasing military space systems.

Topics will include:

• Spacecraft Attitude Control
• Power
• Guidance/Navigation Control
• Command/Data Handling
• Thermal Control
• Propulsion
• Structures
• Payload
• Novel Space Applications

A networking mixer will be held Monday, March 15, from 6-8 p.m., at the Manhattan Beach Marriott, 1400 Parkview Avenue, Manhattan Beach, Calif. A parking shuttle will be available for attendees, providing transfers from The Aerospace Corporation D8 parking lot at 200 N. Aviation Blvd. to the A9 building at 2310 E. El Segundo Blvd. Please refer to the “Parking Map” for the shuttle schedule.

Chair

Dr. Alan R. Hopkins
The Aerospace Corporation
310-336-5664
alan.r.hopkins@aero.org

Tom Newbauer
Space and Missile Systems Center
310-653-1276

For further information, contact the Aerospace Conference Registration Desk at 310-336-6805, or via e-mail at Conf-Reg@aero.org.

Sponsored by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Chief Engineer’s Office, and The Aerospace Corporation