TDA RESEARCH, INC. — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: H4

Description

Since ventilation is limited in space suit gloves, humidity and water tends to accumulate in the glove, leading to finger injuries like onycholysis.nbsp; TDA Research is proposing to develop a new composite material that allows facilitated water transport for sweat and humidity removal.nbsp; The new fabric will be a hybrid of polyamide (Nylon) and a chemically-modified fabric which will transport the moisture out of the gloves.nbsp; In the Phase I project, we will carry out proof-of-concept experiments to demonstrate the viability of the new water transporting composite under representative conditions.nbsp; Composite samples will be subjected to rigorous testing to assess their performance, as well as processability and endurance.nbsp; Optimized layered combinations will be subjected to various water challenges in an environmental chamber.nbsp; Finally, we will also carry out a high-fidelity engineering analysis to estimate the cost of the composite materials as a function of production volume.