Abstract

Spacecraft optics are exposed to micrometeoroids and cosmic dust. How long can optics last in space and provide high-resolution images? A new method for protecting optical instruments from micrometeoroid erosion is proposed. The method is based on the use of a self-healing thin layer of a protective liquid applied to the outer side of a lens or mirror. The liquid must be resistant to solar and cosmic radiation and vacuum. For example, it can be one of the types of oligoorganosiloxanes. The regeneration of the protective liquid consists in cleaning it from microscopic products of the destruction of meteoric particles and removing high-molecular compounds with a molecular weight greater than 50,000. The implementation of the method is possible due to the combined use of the physics of interfacial phenomena and microgravity

Keywords:Space; Optics; Micrometeorite erosion; Protective liquid; Radiation; Microgravity