Some materials used in aerospace applications such as
polymers can degrade and erode with prolonged exposure to atomic
oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, and extreme temperature cycling in
the outer space. Also, because orbiting spacecraft such as the
International Space Station travel at approximately 18,000 miles
per hour, micrometeoroids and other space debris pose serious
threats to the integrity of lightweight space structures comprised
of polymers and their composites.
Novel self-healing materials developed for testing on the
International Space Station
