GHTA welding phenomena of an aluminium alloy in a vacuum

Abstract

The midair disintegration of the space shuttle ‘Colombia’, in which the total crew of 7 members was lost, occurred on 1^st February 2003. The circumstances of the crash shown on TV screens reaffirmed the public's view of the risks of space development and the importance of security. NASA has stopped any further space shuttle launches until the causes are fully investigated – a postponement of the completion of the International Space Station is inevitable. The operational life of the ISS is considered to be 10 years but it could be quite possible to prolong this if required for various reasons. Accordingly, it is highly likely that there will be requests for remodelling in order to achieve high levels of functional performance and to repair damage caused by debris impact and for other reasons. In order to meet these requirements it is essential to establish space welding technology.¹