SUBSA Brazing of Aluminum Alloys IN Space

The primary scientific goal of the proposed terrestrial and planned microgravity molten metal capillary flow experiments is to better understand the physics of the flow of molten metals over the topographically modified surfaces (e.g., filling in the holes, flow over sharp edges and/or flow over surfaces having variable curvatures). By performing capillary flow tests both on Earth and in a microgravity environment, the effects of microgravity on the kinetics of the larger masses of melt flow, and ultimate equilibrium shape of the meniscus will be closely examined. The objective of the microgravity experiments is to provide benchmark data against which theoretical models and computer simulations can be tested. The BRAINS project’s primary pragmatic/engineering obective is that a capillary flow of braze under microgravity conditions would enable a repair or bonding of larger and/or more irregular mating surfaces defects, compared to the terrestrial conditions. This would be important for future development of advanced brazing techniques with applications to both damage repair and construction in space.