New Challenges in Tribology of Space Mechanisms
A special issue of Lubricants (ISSN 2075-4442).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 February 2024) | Viewed by 2788
Special Issue Editor
Interests: tribology; thin coatings; vacuum; tribochemistry; dry lubricants; molybdenum compounds; composite coatings; micromechanics of materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
From the very beginning of space exploration, “space tribology” became a specific field of competences in its own right. Over the last 70 years, researchers and engineers rapidly understood that tribology in space is a real challenge because it suggests lubricating a mechanism, not only in the vacuum of space but also in several environments on Earth (e.g., simulated vacuum, dry and humid air, N2 and CO2, environment, cryogenic and high temperatures, etc.). The constantly increasing complexity of space mechanisms and the requirement for increasingly longer lifetimes with no possible maintenance once in space highlight the primary importance of tribology towards the success or failure of the mission.
The emerging CubeSat and NanoSat, as well as satellite constellation and the renewed interest in human space exploration (e.g., lunar exploration), require innovative new solutions to lubricate mechanisms and manage the contact between mechanical parts. These challenges include lowering the cost of lubricants, extending the adaptability of lubricants towards environments (air, vacuum, high and low temperature, etc.), improving the effectiveness in dust environment, etc.
This Special Issue aims to promote the current advances and future trends in the field of space tribology. Mechanisms are not limited to satellites or rovers. It covers launchers, landers, future moon and Mars base stations, etc. Papers dealing with the fundamental applications of lubricants to meet the challenge of lubricating space mechanisms are welcome. Lubricants that are of interest in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, solids lubricants (bulk, coatings, composites), fluid lubricants, and greases. Theoretical and experimental studies are also of interest. Researchers working in space tribology and related fields are invited to submit their paper. Both academic and industrial contributions are welcome.
Dr. Guillaume Colas
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Lubricants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Related Special Issue
- Tribology of Space Mechanisms in Lubricants (6 articles)
