Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM
Monday, February 7, 2011 / 3:30 PM, Building 3 Auditorium
Wanda Peters
"The Lotus Coating for Space Exploration: A Dust Mitigation Tool"
ABSTRACT -- The "Lotus" dust mitigation coating is a technology that is currently being developed, at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, as a countermeasure for addressing dust accumulation issues for space exploration. This coating sheds dust particles utilizing anti-contamination and self-cleaning properties to minimize dust accumulation on spacecraft surfaces. Shedding of dust particles is accomplished by reducing the surface energy and the amount of surface area needed for attachment. The Lotus coating is designed to preserve optimal long-term performance of critical spacecraft surfaces, mechanisms, EVA materials and habitation areas, while minimizing and/or eliminating dust accumulation. NASA is exceedingly interested in simplistic and innovative ways to mitigate dust accumulation while minimizing the impact to spacecraft mass and power requirements. Preliminary research and development indicates that the Lotus Coating is a viable passive tool for mitigating dust on: radiator surfaces, solar array panels, habitation airlock walls, mechanism shields, astronaut EVA suits, and astronaut visor's exterior coating. The Lotus Coating technology has cross cutting applications and is designed to preserve optimal long-term performance of spacecraft and habitation components and systems.
SPEAKER -- Wanda Peters is the Principle Investigator for the Lotus Dust Mitigation Coating. She also serves as Assistant Division Chief in the Mechanical Systems Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Before taking that post, she was Coatings Engineering Group Lead in the Contamination and Coatings Engineering Branch. The 21 years she has spent at Goddard has involved supporting 25 missions, including LRO, JWST, HST, STEREO, and LDEF. With over 15 publications, she has developed technologies for space use and is a recognized authority on thermal control coatings for space.
Wanda also participates in outreach activities with elementary, middle, and high school students and mentoring college students, mid-level engineers, and intermediate levels. She advocates for diversity and equal opportunity in the workplace.
Wanda Peters has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore; a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the Catholic University of America and a Master of Engineering Management degree from George Washington University. She is married and has two daughters.