Description: In this proposed Phase I program, a multifunctional lightweight radiation shield composite will be developed and fabricated. This structural radiation shielding will be a high strength, syntactic polymeric where the polymer is filled with high strength low Z material. Specifically, this program will produce structural Polymeric aluminum alloy-LiBH4 composite materials layups. These structural composites are derived from similar structures Powdermet currently produces using hollow spheres (lightweight insulating structures), and more recently, energetic materials (such as KClO4). These materials serve to provide combined structural properties, thermal insulation, mass-efficient radiation shielding, and collision and micrometeroid impact energy adsorption.

Benefits: Traditional aircraft materials such as aluminum make up about typically 80% of aircraft and launch vehicle structures by weight. The major commercial application of the high strength ultralightweight syntactic laminate composites will be launch vehicle and satellite structures, particularly dry bay structures and cryotank structures made from structures without the radiation shielding fillers, but the same process and materials).

NASA Commercial applications include, Radiation shielding and structural members for space craft, landers, habitat structures and satellite components.The replacement of parasitic shielding, and enabling shielding to be used in sun, electronics, and reactor exposed areas where temperatures exceed 120 C is enabled. The primary insertion target will be the lunar lander and lunar habitat structures, where we have time to reach the required TRL level consistent with program schedules, and mars missions (electronic boxes, reactor shielding, etc.). It is imperative that any new material development be downselected in the next few years to meet even these insertion opportunities, and the lightweight structures exploratory development investment must be made today to achieve any significant return on the investment prior to mars missions.