Opportunity Examines Cracks and Coatings on Mars Rocks

Inside a laboratory at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, research scientist Sarah Snyder applies a selective surface coating to an Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS) on March 31, 2021. This is one of several concurrent activities preparing dust shield samples for testing in space. Dust mitigation technologies could one day be applied to diminish dust hazards on lunar surface systems such as cameras, solar panels, spacesuits, and instrumentation, enabling sustainable exploration of the Moon under the Artemis program.

MICHAEL COATES, DIRECTOR, JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, ADDRESSES AUDIENCE DURING ALL HANDS MEETING AT MSFC ON 11/9/11

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This image from the microscopic imager on NASA Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows details of the coating on a rock called Chocolate Hills, which the rover found and examined at the edge of a young crater called Concepción.

Coating on Rock Beside a Young Martian Crater

Solar White

Robert Youngquist, Ph.D., tests a sample disk with a "Solar White" cryogenic selective surface coating with a flash light, demonstrating the coating’s reflective properties. The innovative coating is predicted to reflect more than 99.9 percent of the simulated solar infrared radiation. This technology could enable storing super-cold, or cryogenic, liquids and support systems that shield astronauts against radiation during the Journey to Mars.

The Plasma Spray-Physical Vapor Deposition (PS-PVD) Rig at NASA Glenn Research Center. The rig helps develop coatings for next-generation aircraft turbine components and create more efficient engines.

Vapor Deposition Rig

ARTHUR BROWN (AST, AEROSPACE METALLIC MATERIALS) LOADS A CERAMIC COATED SILICON WAFER INTO A KRATOS (ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY FOR CHEMICAL ANALYSIS) TO PERFORM X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY (XPS). XPS IS A TECHNIQUE THAT ANALYZES THE SURFACE CHEMISTRY OF A SAMPLE BY IRRADIATING IT WITH X-RAYS AND MEASURING THE NUMBER AND KINETIC ENERGY OF ELECTRON THAT ESCAPE.

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S89-25242 (January 1989) --- Astronaut Michael L. Coats. Photo credit: NASA

Official portrait of astronaut Michael L. Coats

Painter applies fresh coat of paint to the NASA Meatball on the Hangar's North Facade

NASA's Webb Telescope Completes Mirror-Coating Milestone

The first six flight ready James Webb Space Telescope's primary mirror segments are prepped to begin final cryogenic testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. To read more go to: <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/webb-mirror-coating.html" rel="nofollow">www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/webb-mirror-coati...</a> Credit: NASA/GSFC/Chris Gunn <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://instagrid.me/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Space Shuttle Projects

Five astronauts composed the STS-29 crew. Standing (left ot right) are James P. Bagian, mission specialist 1; Robert C. Springer, mission specialist 3; and James F. (Jim) Buchli, mission specialist 2. Seated (left to right) are John E. Blaha, pilot, and Michael L. Coats, commander. STS-29 launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on March 13, 1989 at 9:57 am (EST). The primary payload was the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite- 4 (TDRS-4).

A technician guides SOFIA's primary mirror assembly into the aircraft's telescope cavity completing the mirror reinstallation following its initial coating

Space Shuttle Projects

The crew assigned to the STS-41D mission included (seated left to right) Richard M. (Mike) Mullane, mission specialist; Steven A. Hawley, mission specialist; Henry W. Hartsfield, commander; and Michael L. (Mike) Coats, pilot. Standing in the rear are Charles D. Walker, payload specialist; and Judith A. (Judy) Resnik, mission specialist. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery August 30, 1984 at 8:41:50 am (EDT), the STS-41D mission deployed three satellites: the Satellite Business System SBS-D; the SYCOM IV-2 (also known as LEASAT-2); and the TELSTAR.

Ground crewmen prepare to load the crated SOFIA primary mirror assembly into an Air Force C-17 for shipment to NASA Ames Research Center for finish coating

Technicians at NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., loaded the German-built primary mirror assembly of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, onto an Air Force C-17 for shipment to NASA's Ames Research Center on May 1, 2008. In preparation for the final finish coating of the mirror, the more than two-ton mirror assembly had been removed from its cavity in the rear fuselage of the highly modified SOFIA Boeing 747SP two weeks earlier. After arrival at NASA Ames at Moffett Field near Mountain View, Calif., the mirror would receive its aluminized finish coating before being re-installed in the SOFIA aircraft.

A NASA Technician directs loading of the crated SOFIA primary mirror assembly into a C-17 for shipment to NASA Ames Research Center for finish coating

Technicians at NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., loaded the German-built primary mirror assembly of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, onto an Air Force C-17 for shipment to NASA's Ames Research Center on May 1, 2008. In preparation for the final finish coating of the mirror, the more than two-ton mirror assembly had been removed from its cavity in the rear fuselage of the highly modified SOFIA Boeing 747SP two weeks earlier. After arrival at NASA Ames at Moffett Field near Mountain View, Calif., the mirror would receive its aluminized finish coating before being re-installed in the SOFIA aircraft.

Technicians position the transport cradle as a crane lowers SOFIA's primary mirror assembly into place prior to finish coating of the mirror at NASA Ames

Technicians at the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., removed the German-built primary mirror assembly from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, April 18, 2008 in preparation for the final finish coating of the mirror. A precision crane lifted the more than two-ton mirror assembly from its cavity in the rear fuselage of the highly modified Boeing 747SP. The assembly was then secured in its transport dolly and moved to a clean room where it was prepared for shipment to NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field near Mountain View, Calif. where it would receive its aluminized finish coating before being re-installed in the SOFIA aircraft.

The SOFIA primary mirror assembly is cautiously lifted from its cavity in the modified 747 by a crane in preparation for finish coating operations at NASA Ames

Technicians at the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., removed the German-built primary mirror assembly from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, April 18, 2008 in preparation for the final finish coating of the mirror. A precision crane lifted the more than two-ton mirror assembly from its cavity in the rear fuselage of the highly modified Boeing 747SP. The assembly was then secured in its transport dolly and moved to a clean room where it was prepared for shipment to NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field near Mountain View, Calif. where it would receive its aluminized finish coating before being re-installed in the SOFIA aircraft.

STS-39 Commander Coats on OV-103's flight deck watches SPAS-II/IBSS deploy

STS039-11-027 (28 April-6 May 1991) --- Astronaut Michael L. Coats, STS-39 mission commander, is seen in a close-up 35mm frame on the aft flight deck of the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Discovery. Out the overhead window, the SPAS-II hovers on the end of the remote manipulator system (RMS, out of frame). Inside the window, just above Coats' head is the Crewman Optical Alignment Sight (COAS), an optical device that aids in navigation. Photo credit: NASA

STS-29 Commander Coats in JSC fixed base (FB) shuttle mission simulator (SMS)

S86-28458 (28 Feb. 1986) --- Astronaut Michael L. Coats participates in a rehearsal for his assigned flight at the commander's station of the Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). NOTE: Coats, a veteran of spaceflight, originally trained for STS 61-H, which was cancelled in the wake of the Challenger accident. Following the Janaury 1986 accident he was named to serve on a mock crew (STS-61M) for personnel training and simulation purposes. Photo credit: NASA

Sylvie Crowell who works in the Environmental Effects and Coatings Branch at NASA Glenn Research Center performs ball milling and particle size analysis on some lunar dust simulant on January 29, 2025.

Passive Charge Dissipating Work Function Matching Coating for Reducing Adhesion of Lunar Dust

This MOC image shows dark sand dunes, with a thin coating of autumn frost, in the Ogygis Regio west of Argyre basin

Sandy Dunes

In this terrain, the dark material that coats Cassini Regio accentuates slopes and crater floors, creating a land of stark contrasts

Duotone Moon

KSC Director Parsons and JSC Director Coats during STS-120 launch

STS120-S-012 (23 Oct. 2007) --- In the firing room of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, KSC Director Bill Parsons (left) and Johnson Space Center Director Michael Coats wait for the final countdown of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-120. Liftoff was on time at 11:38:19 a.m. (EDT). Discovery carries the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. During the 14-day STS-120 mission, the crew will install Harmony and move the P6 solar arrays to their permanent position and deploy them.

STS-127 Firing Room

NASA Johnson Space Center Director Michael Coats monitors the launch team discussions on his headset from Firing Room Four of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Sunday, July 12, 2009. The space shuttle Endeavour is set to launch at 7:13p.m. EDT with the crew of STS-127 and start a 16-day mission that will feature five spacewalks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

X-15A-2 with full scale ablative and external tanks installed parked in front of hangar

X-15A-2 with full scale ablative and external tanks installed parked in front of hangar. In June 1967, the X-15A-2 rocket-powered research aircraft received a full-scale ablative coating to protect the craft from the high temperatures associated with hypersonic flight (above Mach 5). This pink eraser-like substance, applied to the X-15A-2 aircraft (56-6671), was then covered with a white sealant coat before flight. This coating would help the #2 aircraft reach the record speed of 4,520 mph (Mach 6.7).

X-15A-2 is rolled out of the paint shop after having the full scale ablative applied

X-15A-2 is rolled out of the paint shop after having the full scale ablative applied. In June 1967, the X-15A-2 rocket-powered research aircraft received a full-scale ablative coating to protect the craft from the high temperatures associated with hypersonic flight (above Mach 5). This pink eraser-like substance, applied to the X-15A-2 aircraft (56-6671), was then covered with a white sealant coat before flight. This coating would help the #2 aircraft reach the record speed of 4,520 mph (Mach 6.7).

Space Shuttle Projects

The STS-39 crew portrait includes 7 astronauts. Pictured are Charles L. Veach, mission specialist 5; Michael L. Coats, commander; Gregory J. Harbaugh, mission specialist 2; Donald R. McMonagle, mission specialist 4; L. Blaine Hammond, pilot; Richard J. Hieb, mission specialist 3; and Guion S. Buford, Jr., mission specialist 1. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on April 28, 1991 at 7:33:14 am (EDT), STS-39 was a Department of Defense (DOD) mission. The primary unclassified payload included the Air Force Program 675 (AFP-675), the Infrared Background Signature Survey (IBSS), and the Shuttle Pallet Satellite II (SPAS II).

National Space Council Meeting

Acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot, center, along with Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the United States Michael Kratsios, left, and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats, right, listen to remarks by panelists during the National Space Council's first meeting, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. The National Space Council, chaired by Vice President Mike Pence heard testimony from representatives from civil space, commercial space, and national security space industry representatives. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

National Space Council Meeting

Acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot, center, along with Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the United States Michael Kratsios, left, and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats, right, listen to remarks by panelists during the National Space Council's first meeting, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. The National Space Council, chaired by Vice President Mike Pence heard testimony from representatives from civil space, commercial space, and national security space industry representatives. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Mrs. George H.W. Bush talks to JSC Director Michael L. Coats and Diane Coats during visit to Houston.

Visit to Houston by President George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Bush

This image of asteroid Vesta is one of many images taken by NASA Dawn spacecraft to create an animation showing the diversity of minerals through color representation.

Vesta Coat of Many Colors

This artist concept illustrates the fate of two different planets: the one on the left is similar to Earth, made up largely of silicate-based rocks with oceans coating its surface.

A Tale of Two Worlds: Silicate Versus Carbon Planets Artist Concept

This MOC image shows streaks and scratch marks made in a thin coating of dust on the martian surface in the southern hemisphere made by passing dust devils during the summer season

Devil Scratches

This focus-merge image from the Mars Hand Lens Imager MAHLI on the arm of NASA Mars rover Curiosity shows a rock called Burwash. The rock has a coating of dust on it. The coarser, visible grains are windblown sand.

Rock Burwash Near Curiosity, Sol 82

The Floor of Saha E

NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows that the dust avalanches found on this crater rim have exposed darker rocky material on an otherwise dust coated slope. This unnamed crater is located east of Schiaparelli Crater.

Dust on the Move

STP-H5-ICE Experiment Imagery

iss054e004116 (Dec. 26, 2017) --- Space Test Program - Houston 5 - Innovative Coatings Experiment (STP-H5-ICE) in front of International Space Station (ISS) radiator. A spacecraft’s exterior coating protects against extreme temperatures, shields the spacecraft from radiation, prevents contamination, and guides cameras that help robots or humans capture and service the spacecraft. STP-H5-ICE studies different paints and coatings that protect spacecraft exteriors.

STP-H5-ICE Experiment Imagery

iss054e004119 (Dec. 26, 2017) --- Space Test Program - Houston 5 - Innovative Coatings Experiment (STP-H5-ICE) with International Space Station (ISS) radiator in the background. A spacecraft’s exterior coating protects against extreme temperatures, shields the spacecraft from radiation, prevents contamination, and guides cameras that help robots or humans capture and service the spacecraft. STP-H5-ICE studies different paints and coatings that protect spacecraft exteriors.

Benefit from NASA

The Waterblast Research Cell supports development of automated systems that remove thermal protection materials and coatings from space flight hardware. These systems remove expended coatings without harsh chemicals or damaging underlying material. Potential applications of this technology include the removal of coatings from industrial machinery, aircraft, and other large structures. Use of the robot improves worker safety by reducing the exposure of persornel to high-pressure water. This technology is a proactive alternative to hazardous chemical strippers.

STP-H5-ICE Experiment Imagery

iss054e004101 (Dec. 26, 2017) --- Space Test Program - Houston 5 - Innovative Coatings Experiment (STP-H5-ICE) in front of International Space Station (ISS) solar panels. A spacecraft’s exterior coating protects against extreme temperatures, shields the spacecraft from radiation, prevents contamination, and guides cameras that help robots or humans capture and service the spacecraft. STP-H5-ICE studies different paints and coatings that protect spacecraft exteriors.

STP-H5-ICE Experiment Imagery

iss054e004105 (Dec. 26, 2017) --- Space Test Program - Houston 5 - Innovative Coatings Experiment (STP-H5-ICE) in front of International Space Station (ISS) solar panels. A spacecraft’s exterior coating protects against extreme temperatures, shields the spacecraft from radiation, prevents contamination, and guides cameras that help robots or humans capture and service the spacecraft. STP-H5-ICE studies different paints and coatings that protect spacecraft exteriors.

STP-H5-ICE Experiment Imagery

iss054e004111 (Dec. 26, 2017) --- Space Test Program - Houston 5 - Innovative Coatings Experiment (STP-H5-ICE) with International Space Station (ISS) solar panels in the background. A spacecraft’s exterior coating protects against extreme temperatures, shields the spacecraft from radiation, prevents contamination, and guides cameras that help robots or humans capture and service the spacecraft. STP-H5-ICE studies different paints and coatings that protext spacecraft exteriors.

Technicians with ropes carefully guide the primary mirror assembly as a crane slowly moves it toward its transport cradle after removal from the SOFIA aircraft

Technicians at the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., removed the German-built primary mirror assembly from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, April 18, 2008 in preparation for the final finish coating of the mirror. A precision crane lifted the more than two-ton mirror assembly from its cavity in the rear fuselage of the highly modified Boeing 747SP. The assembly was then secured in its transport dolly and moved to a clean room where it was prepared for shipment to NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field near Mountain View, Calif. where it would receive its aluminized finish coating before being re-installed in the SOFIA aircraft.

Technicians carefully guide SOFIA's primary mirror assembly on its transport cradle into a clean room where it is being prepared for shipment to NASA Ames

Technicians at the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., removed the German-built primary mirror assembly from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, April 18, 2008 in preparation for the final finish coating of the mirror. A precision crane lifted the more than two-ton mirror assembly from its cavity in the rear fuselage of the highly modified Boeing 747SP. The assembly was then secured in its transport dolly and moved to a clean room where it was prepared for shipment to NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field near Mountain View, Calif. where it would receive its aluminized finish coating before being re-installed in the SOFIA aircraft.

Ground crewmen shove the more than two-ton SOFIA primary mirror assembly in its transport crate into a C-17's cavernous cargo bay for shipment to NASA Ames

Technicians at NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., loaded the German-built primary mirror assembly of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, onto an Air Force C-17 for shipment to NASA's Ames Research Center on May 1, 2008. In preparation for the final finish coating of the mirror, the more than two-ton mirror assembly had been removed from its cavity in the rear fuselage of the highly modified SOFIA Boeing 747SP two weeks earlier. After arrival at NASA Ames at Moffett Field near Mountain View, Calif., the mirror would receive its aluminized finish coating before being re-installed in the SOFIA aircraft.

SOFIA's primary mirror assembly is cradled on its dolly as technicians prepare to move it into a "clean room" at NASA Dryden's Aircraft Operations Facility

Technicians at the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., removed the German-built primary mirror assembly from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, April 18, 2008 in preparation for the final finish coating of the mirror. A precision crane lifted the more than two-ton mirror assembly from its cavity in the rear fuselage of the highly modified Boeing 747SP. The assembly was then secured in its transport dolly and moved to a clean room where it was prepared for shipment to NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field near Mountain View, Calif. where it would receive its aluminized finish coating before being re-installed in the SOFIA aircraft.

Anatomy of a Sample Tube

This illustration depicts the exterior of a sample tube being carried aboard the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. About the size and shape of a standard lab test tube, the 43 sample tubes headed to Mars must be lightweight, hardy enough to survive the demands of the round trip, and so clean that future scientists will be confident that what they are analyzing is 100% Mars, without Earthly contaminants. Exterior Ball Lock: Placed on opposite sides of the tube, the two ball locks help secure the sample tube as it progresses through the many stages of sample collection and storage. Serial Number: Helps with identification of the tubes and their contents. Titanium Nitride Coating: Gold in color, this extremely hard ceramic coating is used as a specialized surface treatment that resists contamination. Alumina Coating: The reflective coating provides thermal protection and acts as a sponge to prevent potential contaminants from getting inside the sample tube. Bare Titanium: The portion of tube near the open end contains no coating to eliminate the possibility that the coating could delaminate from this portion of the tube during the insertion of a hermetic seal. Bearing Race: An asymmetrical flange at the open end of the tube, it assists in the process of shearing (breaking) off samples at the completion of the coring portion of sample collection. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24306

Expedition 14 Crew Return at Ellington Field

Generic: 15205. Mission: Apollo 15. Station: 2. Landmark: ST. GEORGE CRATER. BagNumber: SCB 1 161. OrignalWeight: 337.3. SuperClass: Breccia. SubClass: Regolith. Category: ROCK . Classifications: Glass-coated. Description: Glass-coated. Classificaiton 1: BRECCIA.

LUNAR SAMPLE - APOLLO 15 ROCK #15205 - MSC

Corrosion Research Laboratory

Dr. Luz M. Calle, a principal investigator for corrosion research at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, examines microcapsules under a microscope Dec. 12, 2018. Microencapsulation is a way to create smart coatings or paint capable of indicating, resisting, and repairing corrosion. Smart coatings are being developed as alternatives to corrosion protection technologies that are not environmentally friendly.

Low Pressure Plasma Thin Film Rig for Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings

STS-116 Crew and ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter during Crew Return Ceremony

JSC2006-E-54858 (23 Dec. 2006) --- Michael L. Coats, director of the Johnson Space Center, addresses a large turnout of well-wishers at the STS-116 crew return ceremony on the afternoon of Dec. 23 at Ellington Field. Coats congratulated and thanked the Space Shuttle Discovery astronauts, whose work on the International Space Station represented one of the most difficult mission tasks in NASA's history. Seated not far away from Coats on the stage were the seven astronauts who returned to Earth on Dec. 22 aboard the Discovery. They spent their first night back on Earth in Florida, near their Kennedy Space Center landing site.

Stator Blade with Thermal Barrier Testing on Hot Gas Rig

A 1-foot long stator blade with a thermal coating subjected to intense heat in order to test its strength at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. Lewis researchers sought to determine optimal types of ceramic coatings to increase the durability of metals. The research was primarily intended to support the design of stator blades for high-performance axial-flow compressor and turbofan engines. The coatings reduced the temperature of the metal and the amount of required cooling. As engines became more and more sophisticated, compressor blades were required to withstand higher and higher temperatures. Lewis researchers developed a dual-layer thermal-barrier coating that could be applied to turbine vanes and blades and combustion liners. This new sprayable thermal-barrier coating was evaluated for its durability, strength, fatigue, and aerodynamic penalties. This hot-gas rig fired the scorching gas at the leading edge of a test blade. The blade was cooled by an internal air flow. The blades were heated at two different velocities during the program. When using Mach 0.3 gases the entire heating and cooling cycle only lasted 30 seconds. The cycle lasted 60 minutes during tests at Mach 1.