Possible Way to Protect Spacecraft Optics from Micrometeor Erosion

Abstract

There is a huge potential in Russia for the application of space technology in exploration, especially in the oil and gas sector. Images from space are a valuable source of information for geological predictions. How long can optics last in space and provide high-quality images when exposed to a micrometeor shower? The article proposes a new way to protect optical instruments from micrometeor erosion. The method is based on the use of a self-healing surface of a thin layer of a special liquid applied to the surface to be protected. Liquid resistant to solar and cosmic radiation. The implementation of the method is possible due to the physics of interfacial phenomena under microgravity conditions in space. The technical details of the proposal are being discussed.