Towards Mars and beyond: a revolutionary alloy opens up new ways for spatial exploration

A new shape memory type material has just been developed to copper. Therefore, Designed in Japan. Furthermore, it is able to keep its physical properties up to an icy temperature of -220 ° C, which seems very promising for space trips.

Presented to the scientific community, this material can for example release torsion energy from a certain temperature, that is to say that its properties are comparable to that of a spring which relaxes when a calorific contribution requires it. Similarly, It can be folded. Similarly, twisted and staying as it is -160 ° C, then redo its original shape at a much higher temperature.

The Japanese team therefore found for the first time an alloy capable of showing memory properties at cryogenic temperatures, from -150 ° C to -273 ° C. To achieve this. she used a copper, aluminum and manganese monocrystal, formed with a single “germ” and not from a multitude towards mars beyond: revolutionary alloy of crystals with different orientations.

So far, the most commonly used alloy consisted of nickel and titanium, and ceased to operate around -200 ° C. In the spatial field. this kind of material can therefore find many applications, both for robotic scientific missions and future inhabited missions requiring very long travel times and exposed to ultra-low temperatures. We obviously think of the planet Mars. but also Jupiter, Pluto, even the Oort cloud…

Orbit telescopes, for example, need this type of material resistant to extreme cold. Let us remember in particular that the Spatial Telescope (JWST) Jas-Webb was deployed in space. undergoing this type of temperature while around 300 of its mechanical points were critical. If one of them did not deploy properly, the whole mission could then be towards mars beyond: revolutionary alloy compromised.

Such type of memory mechanical actuator could therefore replace hydraulic. pneumatic devices, which also have large constraints linked to cold and major temperature changes. Because if the space is absolutely freezing. often close to absolute zero, -273 ° C, it is enough to be directly lit by the sun so that it towards mars beyond: revolutionary alloy heats up, and not just a little. The gaps are sometimes colossal! On the moon, for example, the day temperature is +120 ° C, when the night tumbles up to -170 ° C.

This new alloy could therefore make space conquest much more reliable by reducing the complexity. weight of vessels, telescopes and other drones responsible for exploring the near and distant space. And reliability, SpaceX and a certain Elon Musk currently need it.

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