1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 Hi, Ted, Dave. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,000 Hi, Kathy Collins said you'd be coming over. 3 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Seems like your friend Van has to test out his cookie recipe. 4 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,000 Yes, Van has a little problem. 5 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:14,000 He's trying to get a cookie that tastes good, is chewy, and he doesn't crumble. 6 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:19,000 So I thought maybe if I came over here and saw the process to testing new materials, 7 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,000 maybe there's something I could learn from this to share with Van. 8 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:23,000 Do you think you could help? 9 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:28,000 I think so. Ted and I both test and analyze structures for new aerospace and space vehicles. 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:33,000 I usually test them at room temperature, and Ted actually tests them at extreme temperatures. 11 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,000 Since I usually test at room temperature, 12 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,000 the components that I test are larger than those that Ted uses in his thermal structural tests. 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:46,000 What typically happens here is the component of the vehicle structure that we're interested in is built and shipped to our labs. 14 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:51,000 We then apply sensors to it to help us understand how it behaves under different loads or forces. 15 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:56,000 This panel here is part of the keel or bottom section of a high-speed civil transport supersonic aircraft. 16 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:01,000 This vehicle will be capable of flying at speeds up to 2.4 times the speed of sound. 17 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:07,000 This panel is made from the IM-7 Petty V composite that Kathy and Roberto talked about. 18 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,000 This panel will be tested in tension, 19 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:17,000 where we can use this machine to apply up to 1.2 million pounds of force onto the panel until it breaks or fails. 20 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,000 While we test panels here at room temperature, 21 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,000 Ted also does thermal structural tests of smaller panels that are usually made of the same composite material. 22 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:31,000 That's right. NASA has a research program to develop a reusable launch vehicle known as the X-33 and X-34, 23 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,000 which we use to transport people and materials to orbit at a lower cost. 24 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:40,000 In order to see how effectively adhesives and composites can work in harsh environments in space, 25 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:46,000 I test relatively small samples of composite materials for liquid hydrogen propellant tanks in cyclic tests here. 26 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:51,000 In one test, we use liquid nitrogen and liquid helium to cool the specimen. 27 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:57,000 When the panel is cooled to negative 423 degrees Fahrenheit, then a mechanical load is applied. 28 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:07,000 An example of how cold liquid nitrogen is, we'll dip this carnation into liquid nitrogen and see how brittle the flowers become. 29 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:11,000 In one test, we push materials to the max. 30 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:18,000 We simultaneously subject one surface of the panel to minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit, 31 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:23,000 while at the same time subject the other side of the panel to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. 32 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:31,000 Sections of the material is then placed beneath a microscope to look for any cracks or flaws. 33 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:36,000 If the flaws fall within unacceptable ranges during the time of these tests, 34 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:42,000 we retest the material or even go back to the drawing board to change the fabrication process or the material. 35 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:48,000 Gentlemen, thank you so much for your time today and helping to explain to me the process of testing new materials. 36 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,000 But now that brings me back to Van. 37 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,000 What would you suggest Van should do with his cookies? 38 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,000 How should he test his cookies? 39 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,000 Well, I think he should try a bending test performed at room temperature. 40 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,000 That way he can see how well the cookie holds up and whether or not it crumbles. 41 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,000 I'll take it to the extreme. 42 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,000 You know me, Shelly. 43 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,000 To test how well his cookie holds up, he should try a thermal dunking test. 44 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,000 First where he dunks it in cold milk and then in hot chocolate. 45 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,000 Oh, those sound like some good tests. 46 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,000 Thank you very much and I'll report back to Van. 47 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:17,000 Thanks again. 48 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,000 Uh-huh, and the thermal test, it went well? 49 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:23,000 Great. 50 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,000 All right, what about the bending test? 51 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,000 Well, I'm ready to test it now. 52 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Oh, wow, these are bending really well. 53 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,000 I think this recipe works. 54 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,000 Van, I think you're forgetting the most important test. 55 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:39,000 Oh, what's that? 56 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,000 The taste test. 57 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,000 The taste test! 58 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,000 Oh, right, well, I'll call you back with my final results. 59 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,000 But first, I have something planned. 60 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,000 While I get ready for this most important test, 61 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,000 Shelly's going back to the NASConnect studio with some researchers 62 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,000 who are on hand to take your phone calls and email questions 63 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,000 about composite materials and future vehicles like the X-33. 64 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,000 Meanwhile, I'm going to send you to Hugo A. Owens Middle School 65 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:08,000 where you'll see students from the classroom of science teacher Bernadette Smith 66 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,000 conducting an experiment examining the strength of several materials. 67 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,000 Follow along and after that you'll be challenged to make your own analysis 68 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,000 and predictions based on their results.