00:00:01
[upbeat electronic music]
00:00:26
- IF YOU TAKE
A LOOK AROUND YOU,
00:00:27
ONE THING
YOU WILL DEFINITELY NOTICE
00:00:29
IS THAT VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING
YOU SEE IS MAN-MADE--
00:00:33
EVERYTHING FROM BUILDINGS
TO CLOTHES AND COMPUTERS...
00:00:36
- TO CARS, ROADS,
AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
00:00:39
HUMANS HAVE
DEFINITELY LEARNED
00:00:40
HOW TO MAKE OUR LIVES
MORE COMFORTABLE,
00:00:42
RELIABLE, AND SAFE
THROUGH INNOVATION.
00:00:44
HI, I'M JENNIFER PULLEY.
00:00:46
- AND I'M JOHNNY ALONSO.
00:00:47
AND TODAY ON "NASA 360,"
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK
00:00:49
AT HOW HUMAN INGENUITY IS MAKING
MAN-MADE OBJECTS STRONGER,
00:00:52
SAFER, AND MUCH MORE AVAILABLE
FOR ALL OF US.
00:00:55
[stomping rock music]
00:01:08
- FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,
00:01:09
HUMANS HAVE TAKEN OBJECTS
FROM NATURE
00:01:11
TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD
FOR THEMSELVES.
00:01:12
TAKE, FOR INSTANCE,
MUD BRICKS FROM ANTIQUITY
00:01:15
THAT WERE USED
TO BUILD DWELLINGS.
00:01:17
THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR,
EARLY CARPENTERS LEARNED
00:01:19
THAT JUST BUILDING STRUCTURES
FROM PLAIN MUD
00:01:22
OFTEN LED
TO UNSTABLE STRUCTURE.
00:01:24
BUT WHEN THEY COMBINED MUD
AND STRAW TOGETHER,
00:01:27
THEY CAME UP
WITH A NEW STRUCTURE
00:01:28
THAT RESISTS BOTH SQUEEZING
AND TEARING,
00:01:31
RESULTING
IN A MUCH BETTER DWELLING.
00:01:33
ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT
HAVE KNOWN IT,
00:01:35
THESE EARLY BUILDERS
WERE USING COMPOSITE MATERIALS.
00:01:37
- EVEN THOUGH THE USE OF
THE TERM "COMPOSITE MATERIALS"
00:01:40
IS GENERALLY SYNONYMOUS
WITH "SPACE-AGE MATERIALS,"
00:01:43
COMPOSITES, THEY'VE BEEN AROUND
FOR A LONG TIME.
00:01:46
BASICALLY,
A COMPOSITE MATERIAL IS FORMED
00:01:48
WHEN YOU COMBINE
TWO OR MORE ITEMS
00:01:49
THAT HAVE
VERY DIFFERENT PROPERTIES.
00:01:51
MANY COMPOSITES ARE MADE UP
OF JUST TWO MATERIALS:
00:01:54
ONE THAT ACTS LIKE A GLUE
TO SURROUND AND BIND
00:01:57
AND ONE TO REINFORCE,
LIKE FIBERS OR FRAGMENTS.
00:01:59
WHEN COMBINED TOGETHER,
00:02:00
THESE DIFFERENT MATERIALS
USUALLY WORK TOGETHER
00:02:02
TO MAKE THE SUM OF THE PARTS
MUCH BETTER
00:02:04
THAN THE ORIGINAL
MATERIALS ALONE.
00:02:07
- TODAY THE USE
OF NEW COMPOSITE MATERIALS
00:02:09
CAN BE SEEN IN VIRTUALLY ALL
SPACE-AGE DESIGNS,
00:02:11
FROM NEW AIRCRAFT
USED BY YOU AND ME,
00:02:13
THE GENERAL PUBLIC,
00:02:15
TO EVEN NEXT-GENERATION
SPACECRAFT
00:02:17
FOR FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS.
00:02:18
NOW, THIS TURN TO COMPOSITES
00:02:20
IS BECAUSE WEIGHT REDUCTION
COMBINED WITH STRENGTH
00:02:22
HAS ALWAYS BEEN
A CRITICAL GOAL OF FLIGHT,
00:02:25
EVEN SINCE THE BEGINNING.
00:02:27
THE FIRST AIRCRAFT EVER MADE
00:02:29
WERE BUILT FROM WOOD
AND FABRIC MATERIAL.
00:02:31
BUT IT WAS SOON REALIZED
00:02:32
THAT A MAJOR CHANGE
NEEDED TO BE MADE
00:02:34
TO INCREASE THE STRENGTH
AND DURABILITY OF AIRCRAFT.
00:02:37
THE CHANGE CAME
WITH THE INTRODUCTION
00:02:39
OF STRONG AND LIGHTWEIGHT METALS
LIKE ALUMINUM.
00:02:42
SINCE THAT TIME,
THE USE OF THESE TYPES OF METALS
00:02:45
HAVE BEEN THE STATE OF THE ART
00:02:46
FOR BOTH AIRCRAFT
AND SPACECRAFT.
00:02:48
TODAY METAL SPACECRAFT
ARE STILL STATE-OF-THE-ART,
00:02:51
BUT RESEARCHERS
HAVE BEGUN TO LOOK
00:02:54
AT NEW WAYS
TO BUILD SPACECRAFT
00:02:56
THAT COULD OFFER
BETTER ALTERNATIVES TO METAL.
00:02:58
IN FACT,
NASA IS ALREADY TESTING
00:03:00
WHAT COULD BE THE NEXT BIG STEP
IN SPACECRAFT DESIGN
00:03:03
RIGHT HERE AT NASA LANGLEY.
00:03:05
IT'S CALLED
A COMPOSITE CREW MODULE...
00:03:06
[metallic knocking]
00:03:07
OR CCM.
00:03:09
I MET UP WITH NESC
PRINCIPAL ENGINEER MIKE KIRSCH
00:03:12
TO FIND OUT A LITTLE MORE
ABOUT THIS INNOVATIVE DESIGN.
00:03:15
MIKE, THIS CCM TO ME
LOOKS A LITTLE FAMILIAR.
00:03:18
I MEAN, I'M THINKING
'60s APOLLO CAPSULE.
00:03:20
- IT'S VERY SIMILAR
TO THE APOLLO PROGRAM.
00:03:23
MANY, MANY SHAPES WILL WORK
00:03:24
FOR THE MISSION
THAT THIS WAS INTENDED.
00:03:26
BUT IN ORDER TO KIND OF
STREAMLINE THE DECISION PROCESS,
00:03:29
THE APOLLO SHAPE WAS PICKED.
00:03:31
AND THAT WAY, WE COULD LEVERAGE
THE AERODYNAMIC DATA
00:03:33
THAT WE COLLECTED
DURING THE APOLLO PROGRAM.
00:03:35
SO THIS IS A SLIGHTLY LARGER
VERSION OF THE APOLLO.
00:03:37
THE APOLLO WAS ROUGHLY
4.3 METERS IN DIAMETER,
00:03:40
AND THIS ONE'S 5 METERS
IN DIAMETER.
00:03:42
IF YOU RECALL, APOLLO HAD
THREE ASTRONAUTS ON THE INSIDE.
00:03:45
THIS WAS DESIGNED TO CARRY SIX,
00:03:47
LATER LOWERED TO CARRY FOUR,
00:03:48
BUT THE VOLUME IS STILL THERE
TO CARRY SIX CREW
00:03:50
TO AND FROM STATION.
00:03:51
- MIKE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING
00:03:52
A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT COMPOSITE MATERIALS.
00:03:54
WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL
IS THE CCM MADE OF?
00:03:57
- THIS IS A CARBON GRAPHITE
EPOXY RESIN SYSTEM.
00:04:01
IT'S A FABRIC
THAT WAS HAND-LAID UP
00:04:03
ON A MALE TOOL.
00:04:05
AND THEN YOU PUT
THE ENTIRE SYSTEM INTO AN OVEN.
00:04:07
IT'S ACTUALLY A PRESSURIZED OVEN
CALLED AN AUTOCLAVE.
00:04:10
AND IT GETS COOKED,
AND IT COMES OUT HARD.
00:04:13
- LET ME JUST KIND OF MAKE SURE
I UNDERSTAND THIS.
00:04:15
KIND OF LIKE A WIRE MANNEQUIN
WRAPPING FABRIC AROUND IT.
00:04:18
IS THAT KIND OF WHAT--
00:04:19
- YEAH, YEAH.
- OKAY, OKAY.
00:04:21
- THAT'S A VERY GOOD ANALOGY.
- OKAY.
00:04:23
- AND THEN THAT'S ONLY
THE FIRST STEP, THOUGH.
00:04:25
SO AFTER THAT,
00:04:26
WE ADD WHAT'S CALLED
AN ALUMINUM HONEYCOMB.
00:04:28
YOU GLUE THE HONEYCOMB
TO THE SKIN,
00:04:31
AND YOU CURE THAT.
00:04:33
AND THEN AFTER THAT,
YOU LAY ANOTHER SKIN
00:04:35
ON TOP
OF THE ALUMINUM HONEYCOMB.
00:04:37
AND THEN YOU PUT THAT
BACK IN THE OVEN,
00:04:38
AND YOU CURE IT.
00:04:39
AND WHEN IT'S ALL DONE,
00:04:41
IT COMES BACK
AS AN ASSEMBLY.
00:04:42
SO YOU HAVE A THIN SKIN
ON THE INSIDE
00:04:46
AND AN ALUMINUM HONEYCOMB
IN THE CENTER
00:04:49
AND THEN ANOTHER THIN SKIN
ON THE OUTSIDE.
00:04:52
AND IT'S RIGID AND CURED
JUST LIKE THAT.
00:04:54
- AND, YOU KNOW,
AS YOU'RE DESCRIBING THIS TO ME,
00:04:56
I'M THINKING,
"WOW, THAT'S A LOT OF STUFF."
00:04:58
BUT THIS IS--I MEAN,
I CAN BARELY FEEL THIS.
00:05:00
- IT'S VERY, VERY LIGHTWEIGHT,
WHICH IS THE IDEA OF COMPOSITES.
00:05:02
IT'S A HIGH STRENGTH
AND STIFFNESS TO WEIGHT,
00:05:06
WHICH IS ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES
OF THE PROJECT.
00:05:09
THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
WAS TO GET SOME NASA GUYS
00:05:13
SOME HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
DESIGNING, BUILDING,
00:05:15
AND TESTING WITH COMPOSITES.
00:05:16
NOW, THIS IS A ALTERNATIVE
TO THE MAINLINE PROGRAM.
00:05:20
THE MAINLINE PROGRAM,
WHICH IS CONSTELLATION,
00:05:22
IN PARTICULAR
IN THE ORION PROJECT,
00:05:24
WHICH MAKES THE CREW CAPSULE,
00:05:26
THEY CHOSE ALUMINUM LITHIUM,
WHICH HAS VERY SIMILAR
00:05:29
STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS TO WEIGHT
CHARACTERISTICS.
00:05:32
BUT THIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE.
00:05:34
AND BY USING COMPOSITES,
00:05:36
IT ENABLES COMPLEX SHAPES
TO BE MADE
00:05:38
AND TO GIVE US
A REAL-WORLD COMPARISON
00:05:41
BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM LITHIUM
MAINLINE PROGRAM
00:05:44
AGAINST COMPOSITE STRUCTURE
00:05:46
OF USING THE SAME SET
OF REQUIREMENTS.
00:05:49
- MIKE, YOU SAID EARLIER
THAT COMPOSITES ALLOW YOU
00:05:52
TO TEST
DIFFERENT COMPLEX SHAPES.
00:05:54
TALK TO ME
ABOUT THE CCM SHAPE.
00:05:56
WHY THIS SHAPE?
00:05:58
- WHEN THE PROJECT
WAS KICKED OFF,
00:05:59
WE TRIED TO RESPECT
THE INTERFACES
00:06:02
THAT THE ORION PROJECT
WAS USING FOR THEIR CREW MODULE.
00:06:04
NOW, ORION AT THAT TIME
HAD BASELINED
00:06:07
THIS COMPONENT,
CALLED THE BACKBONE.
00:06:09
AND THIS BACKBONE
WAS REALLY USED
00:06:12
TO HELP THEM MANAGE THE STUFF
THAT GOES INSIDE THE CAPSULE.
00:06:16
WHAT THE COMPOSITE TEAM DID IS,
00:06:18
WE TIED OUR FLOOR
TO THIS BACKBONE SHAPE.
00:06:22
THEN THE NEXT THING WE DID IS,
00:06:23
WE ACTUALLY SHAPED THE FLOOR
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
00:06:26
OF THE FACT THAT THE BACKBONE
WAS THERE.
00:06:27
AND WHAT IT DID IS,
00:06:29
IT BROUGHT IN THESE LOBES,
00:06:31
AND THE SHAPE OF THE LOBE
IS THE SHAPE
00:06:33
THAT THE FLOOR
WOULD WANT TO TAKE
00:06:35
WHEN PRESSURIZED.
00:06:36
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE
THE BACKBONE,
00:06:38
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE LOBE FLOOR,
00:06:40
THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS,
IT WOULD BE A DOME-LIKE SHAPE.
00:06:43
WHEN YOU PRESSURIZE A DOME,
00:06:45
IT WANTS TO GO TO A BALL SHAPE,
A SPHERE.
00:06:48
AND BY TYING IT
TO THE BACKBONE
00:06:50
AND PUTTING IN
THE LOBE SHAPE,
00:06:51
WE COULD REDUCE
THE STIFFNESS IN THE EDGES,
00:06:53
WHICH SAVED MASS.
00:06:55
NOW, THE COMPOSITES
DON'T INHIBIT ALUMINUM LITHIUM
00:06:58
FROM HAVING A SIMILAR SHAPE.
00:07:00
IT'S JUST MUCH MORE DIFFICULT
00:07:01
TO PUT A LOBED SHAPE
INTO AN ALUMINUM LITHIUM SYSTEM.
00:07:05
- MIKE, WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE REASONS
00:07:06
PEOPLE USE COMPOSITE MATERIALS?
00:07:07
- WELL, COMPOSITES ARE KNOWN
FOR THEIR STRENGTH
00:07:09
AND THEIR STIFFNESS FOR MASS.
00:07:11
SO THEY'RE
VERY LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS,
00:07:14
AND THEY'RE USED OFTENTIMES
00:07:15
IN THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE
INDUSTRIES.
00:07:17
COMPOSITES
ARE ALSO THERMALLY STABLE.
00:07:20
WHAT THAT MEANS
IS THAT THEY DON'T CHANGE SHAPE
00:07:22
AS THEY CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE.
00:07:25
COMPOSITES ARE ALSO
VERY TOLERANT TO FATIGUE,
00:07:28
ANY APPLICATION WHERE SHAPE
IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE.
00:07:32
IN THE AIRPLANE INDUSTRY,
THEY LIKE IT ON A WING.
00:07:34
THEY WANT TO MANAGE
THE SHAPE OF THE WING.
00:07:37
THE MAST OF A SAILBOAT,
00:07:39
THE HULL OF A SAILBOAT,
THE RACING SAILBOAT,
00:07:41
TENNIS RACQUETS,
RACQUETBALL RACKETS--
00:07:43
ALL OF THOSE USE CARBON FIBER
00:07:46
BECAUSE THEY'RE
VERY, VERY STIFF
00:07:48
AND VERY, VERY LIGHTWEIGHT.
00:07:49
- MIKE, ANY TESTS TO FAILURE,
00:07:51
TO SEE IF THE CCM
WOULD COMPLETELY FAIL?
00:07:53
- ABSOLUTELY,
AND PART OF THE PROGRAM
00:07:55
WAS TO PRESSURIZE IT
UNTIL IT FAILED.
00:07:57
AND WE PUMPED IT FULL OF WATER
00:08:00
WITH THAT SAME SET
OF INSTRUMENTATION ON THERE
00:08:02
AND CONTINUED TO PUMP IT UP
00:08:04
UNTIL IT ACTUALLY CRACKED
OR POPPED.
00:08:06
[loud boom]
00:08:08
NOW, WE WERE EXPECTING
A FAIRLY DRAMATIC FAILURE.
00:08:13
ALL OF OUR PREDICTIONS WERE
THAT IT WAS GONNA BE DRAMATIC.
00:08:15
AND IT TURNED OUT,
IT WAS NOT VERY DRAMATIC AT ALL.
00:08:18
- AND IS THAT POSITIVE?
00:08:19
- THAT'S A VERY POSITIVE RESULT.
00:08:21
NOW, THIS WAS DESIGNED
00:08:23
TO DOCK TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
00:08:25
SO IT'S DESIGNED FOR
AN INTERNAL PRESSURE OF 15 PSI,
00:08:28
JUST LIKE WE'RE BREATHING
HERE ON THE GROUND.
00:08:30
- RIGHT.
00:08:31
- BUT YOU ACTUALLY
MULTIPLY THAT BY TWO,
00:08:32
SO YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT
OF MARGIN,
00:08:34
WHAT WE CALL
A FACTOR OF SAFETY,
00:08:37
SO IT'S ACTUALLY CAPABLE
OF 31 PSI
00:08:39
TO BE WHERE WE WERE
COMFORTABLE.
00:08:40
IT ACTUALLY FAILED
AT 53 PSI,
00:08:44
SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN ITS
DESIGN ULTIMATE CAPABILITY.
00:08:49
BUT THAT SHOWS THAT WE HAVE
00:08:50
A FAIR AMOUNT
OF DAMAGE TOLERANCE
00:08:52
STILL REMAINING IN THE DESIGN.
00:08:54
THIS PROJECT'S BEEN EXTREMELY
SUCCESSFUL SINCE ITS INCEPTION,
00:08:57
AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE.
00:08:59
- MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HOW EXCITING.
00:09:00
WE'RE STANDING BY
TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
00:09:02
- ALL RIGHT.
00:09:22
- SO FAR,
WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT
00:09:23
ABOUT HOW WEIGHT
IS A HUGE ISSUE
00:09:25
WHEN YOU WANT TO FLY SOMETHING.
00:09:26
AND OF COURSE,
THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
00:09:29
AND SAFETY OF THE CRAFT
IS IMPORTANT AS WELL.
00:09:31
NOW, IN THE PAST,
TO COMPENSATE FOR SAFETY,
00:09:33
VEHICLES WERE GENERALLY MADE
MUCH HEAVIER THAN NEEDED.
00:09:36
THIS WAS DUE IN PART
TO A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING
00:09:39
ABOUT CERTAIN
STRUCTURAL TEST FAILURES,
00:09:42
LIKE BUCKLING.
00:09:43
TODAY RESEARCHERS
HAVE A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING
00:09:46
OF THE BUCKLING PROCESS
00:09:47
AND THE FINE BALANCE
BETWEEN WEIGHT, SAFETY,
00:09:50
AND PERFORMANCE
IN VEHICLE LAUNCH DESIGN.
00:09:55
FOR SPACECRAFT DESIGN,
00:09:56
RESEARCHERS
ARE USING A TECHNIQUE
00:09:58
TO TEST SHELL BUCKLING
00:09:59
THAT WILL HELP THEM
BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS BALANCE.
00:10:01
I SPOKE WITH MARK HILBURGER
HERE AT NASA LANGLEY
00:10:04
TO FIND OUT A LITTLE MORE.
00:10:05
SO, MARK, WHY IS NASA
TESTING SHELL BUCKLING?
00:10:09
- WELL, SHELL BUCKLING IS ONE
OF THE PRIMARY FAILURE MODES
00:10:12
THAT WE HAVE
IN LAUNCH VEHICLE STRUCTURES.
00:10:15
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY
00:10:17
IS TRYING TO REVISE
SOME OLD DESIGN GUIDELINES
00:10:21
THAT NASA GENERATED
A LONG TIME AGO
00:10:22
FOR THE APOLLO ERA.
00:10:24
AND WHY IT IS CRITICAL IS,
00:10:26
IF WE ARE BUILDING STRUCTURES
TOO HEAVY,
00:10:30
LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST,
00:10:32
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE
TO GET THE PAYLOAD
00:10:33
INTO SPACE LIKE WE WANT TO.
00:10:35
SO WE'RE STUDYING HERE
00:10:36
THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS
OF BUCKLING
00:10:38
AND THEN TRYING TO APPLY THAT
TO AN UPDATED DESIGN CRITERIA
00:10:43
THAT'LL ALLOW US
TO MAKE US LIGHTER WEIGHT,
00:10:45
MORE EFFICIENT, SAFE
LAUNCH VEHICLE STRUCTURES.
00:10:48
I'VE GOT A LITTLE TEST
I CAN SHOW YOU.
00:10:50
THIS IS A TYPICAL BEVERAGE CAN,
00:10:51
AND WE'VE ALL
CRUSHED THESE BEFORE
00:10:53
UNDER OUR FEET, I'M SURE.
00:10:54
AND WHAT WE MEAN
BY A THIN SHELL
00:10:58
IS THAT IT HAS A VERY THIN WALL,
AND IT'S SHAPED LIKE A CYLINDER.
00:11:01
AND IF YOU COULD PICTURE THIS
AS BEING MUCH BIGGER
00:11:05
AND USED IN A LAUNCH VEHICLE
AS, LIKE, A FUEL TANK
00:11:07
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
00:11:08
THEY'RE SUBJECTED
TO VERY HIGH LOADS.
00:11:11
AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
THAT WE'RE STUDYING IS,
00:11:13
HOW DO THESE CANS BUCKLE,
00:11:15
SO WE CAN DESIGN BETTER
LAUNCH VEHICLE STRUCTURES.
00:11:18
SO I'M JUST GONNA
TURN THIS SCREW
00:11:20
AND APPLY A LOAD,
A COMPRESSION LOAD ON THIS CAN,
00:11:23
AND I'M GONNA TRY
AND MAKE THIS BUCKLE.
00:11:25
[can crackling]
00:11:26
OOH.
00:11:27
- PRETTY IMMEDIATE.
00:11:28
- YEAH, IT'S PRETTY IMMEDIATE
AND CATASTROPHIC.
00:11:30
- THREE, TWO...
00:11:32
- LAUNCH VEHICLES ARE ALSO
00:11:34
CYLINDRICAL STRUCTURES
LIKE THESE WITH THIN WALLS,
00:11:36
SO THEY HAVE ALL THE SAME
00:11:38
BASIC PHYSICAL RESPONSE
CHARACTERISTICS
00:11:41
THAT A CAN WOULD HAVE.
00:11:42
AND SO WHEN THEY'RE SUBJECTED
TO THE LOAD,
00:11:44
THEY CAN ALSO EXHIBIT
CATASTROPHIC BUCKLING FAILURE.
00:11:46
WHEN THEY WERE FIRST TRYING
TO DEVELOP ROCKETS
00:11:48
RIGHT AFTER WORLD WAR II
00:11:49
AND YOU SEE THEM GOING UP
ON THE LAUNCHPAD
00:11:51
AND THEN THEY JUST CRUMBLE,
THAT WAS A BUCKLING PROBLEM.
00:11:53
THE BUCKLING PHENOMENON
ITSELF
00:11:56
IS WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING
00:11:57
A COMPRESSIVE LOAD
TO A STRUCTURE
00:12:00
AND IT CAN NO LONGER
WITHSTAND THAT LOAD
00:12:03
AND SO IT CAUSES
THE CAN'S CROSS SECTION
00:12:07
TO CRUSH INWARD.
00:12:08
SO IT'S IMPERATIVE
THAT WE UNDERSTAND
00:12:10
THE BUCKLING PROCESS.
00:12:12
THAT OBVIOUSLY
WAS A VERY SIMPLE EXAMPLE,
00:12:14
BUT WHAT I HAVE
BEHIND ME HERE
00:12:17
IS A SMALLER LABORATORY-SCALE
TEST ARTICLE
00:12:20
THAT WE WOULD USE
TO UNDERSTAND
00:12:22
SOME OF THE BASIC PHYSICAL
PRINCIPLES OF SHELL BUCKLING
00:12:25
AND TRY AND APPLY THAT
00:12:27
TO UNDERSTANDING
LARGER STRUCTURES.
00:12:30
SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE
IS A SMALL-SCALE STRUCTURE.
00:12:32
WE'RE STUDYING VARIOUS ASPECTS
OF HOW IT BUCKLES,
00:12:36
THE EFFECTS OF GEOMETRY
AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF LOAD
00:12:39
ON THE BUCKLING BEHAVIOR.
00:12:41
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S ALL SORTS
OF INSTRUMENTATION ON HERE.
00:12:43
SO WE'RE MUCH MORE SCIENTIFIC
THAN JUST CRUSHING THE CAN.
00:12:46
- IN A VISE GRIP, RIGHT.
00:12:47
- YEAH, SO WE THEN TAKE
THAT DATA
00:12:49
AND USE THAT TO COMPARE
TO OUR MODELS
00:12:51
TO SEE HOW WELL WE REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
00:12:53
- ALL RIGHT,
AND IN ADDITION TO THE WIRES
00:12:56
AND THE THINGS I SEE ATTACHED,
I SEE LITTLE TINY DOTS.
00:12:59
- YEAH.
00:13:00
- WHAT ARE THEY THERE FOR?
00:13:02
- WELL, MANY YEARS AGO,
00:13:04
NASA STARTED WORKING
WITH SOME UNIVERSITIES
00:13:07
TO DEVELOP WHAT WE CALL
00:13:09
A VIDEO IMAGE
CORRELATION SYSTEM.
00:13:11
AND WHAT IT IS, IS IT'S A SERIES
OF DIGITAL CAMERAS
00:13:13
THAT WE POSITION AROUND
THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SHELL,
00:13:16
AND IT MONITORS
THIS SPECKLE PATTERN
00:13:18
THAT WE'VE PAINTED
ONTO THE SHELL.
00:13:21
AND DURING THE TEST
AS WE'RE LOADING IT,
00:13:22
IT'S MONITORING THE MOVEMENT
OF THE SHELL WALL.
00:13:25
- THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT
WILL BE PICKED UP.
00:13:28
- SUBMILLIMETER MOVEMENTS.
00:13:30
AND THE REALLY NICE THING IS,
00:13:31
WHAT YOU SEE HERE
IS A LABORATORY SCALE.
00:13:34
WE'RE DOWN AT MARSHALL ALSO
00:13:35
TESTING FULL
LAUNCH VEHICLE SIZE STRUCTURES.
00:13:38
WE USE THE SAME TECHNIQUE.
00:13:39
WE JUST USE BIGGER DOTS.
00:13:41
- MARK, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE TESTING,
00:13:44
THE SHELL BUCKLING TESTING
THEY DID ON APOLLO,
00:13:46
AND THE SHELL BUCKLING TESTING
YOU GUYS ARE DOING RIGHT NOW?
00:13:49
- OH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
00:13:51
BACK IN THE APOLLO ERA,
00:13:52
THEY WERE JUST STARTING
TO UNDERSTAND
00:13:54
SORT OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS
OF THE BUCKLING PROCESS.
00:13:58
THE BEST THING
THAT THEY COULD DO
00:14:00
IS RUN A LOT OF TESTS
00:14:02
BUT NOT REALLY GET A HANDLE
ON THE REAL PHYSICS.
00:14:04
BUT THEY DID A GREAT JOB,
'CAUSE THEY GOT TO THE MOON.
00:14:06
- RIGHT.
00:14:08
- WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW,
THOUGH, IS,
00:14:09
WE'RE APPLYING MORE RIGOR
TO HOW WE RUN OUR TESTS,
00:14:12
THE TYPES OF MEASUREMENTS
THAT WE TAKE.
00:14:14
WE HAVE NEW
MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGIES.
00:14:15
WE HAVE NEW ANALYSIS TOOLS
THAT ALLOW US
00:14:18
TO VERY ACCURATELY PREDICT
THE BEHAVIOR OF THESE SHELLS.
00:14:21
- IT'S ALWAYS INCREASING,
TECHNOLOGY, HUH?
00:14:23
- ABSOLUTELY.
00:14:24
IT'S HARD TO KEEP
IN FRONT OF IT.
00:14:26
- I KNOW IT IS.
YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
00:14:27
THANKS SO MUCH.
- THANKS.
00:14:32
- BECAUSE COMPOSITES
ARE BEING USED MORE AND MORE
00:14:34
IN PASSENGER VEHICLES,
LIKE CARS AND PLANES,
00:14:36
NASA RESEARCHERS
ARE TAKING A HARD LOOK
00:14:38
AT HOW THEY CAN MAKE THEM
MORE ROBUST.
00:14:40
NOW, AS THEY BECOME
MORE ROBUST,
00:14:42
THEY STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN
SOME OF THE BENEFITS
00:14:44
THAT COMPOSITE MATERIALS
HAVE TO OFFER,
00:14:46
LIKE WEIGHT REDUCTION.
00:14:48
YEAH, THIS IS A TOUGH TASK,
00:14:49
BUT NASA RESEARCHERS,
00:14:51
WELL, THEY'RE UP
FOR THE CHALLENGE.
00:14:52
I CAUGHT UP WITH NASA AEROSPACE
ENGINEER DAWN JEGLEY
00:14:55
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
THIS NEW DESIGN CALLED PRSEUS
00:14:58
THAT MAY BE A GAME CHANGER
IN COMPOSITES RESEARCH.
00:15:00
DAWN, HOW ARE YOU?
00:15:02
- HI. HOW ARE YOU?
00:15:03
- GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
00:15:04
- YOU TOO.
- GOOD.
00:15:05
SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK
00:15:06
ABOUT COMPOSITES
AND PRSEUS, RIGHT?
00:15:08
- RIGHT.
- LET'S START FROM THE TOP.
00:15:09
- OKAY, WELL,
PRSEUS STANDS
00:15:11
FOR "PULTRUDED ROD STITCHED
EFFICIENT UNITIZED STRUCTURE."
00:15:15
- OKAY.
00:15:16
- WHAT THAT MEANS
IS THAT WE HAVE A LARGE PANEL.
00:15:20
AND THIS IS A PRSEUS PANEL.
00:15:21
- RIGHT.
00:15:22
- AND IF YOU LOOK REAL CLOSE
IN HERE,
00:15:24
YOU CAN SEE STITCHES.
00:15:26
IT'S ALL HELD TOGETHER
BY STITCHES.
00:15:28
AND WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS PANEL,
00:15:31
RATHER THAN
A NORMAL AIRCRAFT PANEL,
00:15:33
IS, YOU DON'T SEE
ANY FASTENERS.
00:15:35
IN A NORMAL AIRPLANE, YOU'VE GOT
RIVETS ALL OVER THE PLACE
00:15:38
HOLDING EVERY PART TOGETHER.
00:15:40
IN THIS CASE,
WE HAVE NO RIVETS.
00:15:43
- RIGHT.
00:15:44
- EVERYTHING'S HELD TOGETHER
BY STITCHES.
00:15:46
- OKAY.
00:15:47
- NOW, COMPOSITE MATERIALS HAVE
BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
00:15:50
WE AT NASA HAVE BEEN WORKING
WITH THEM FOR 40 YEARS.
00:15:52
INDUSTRY'S WORKING WITH THEM,
00:15:54
AND THEY'RE NOW GETTING OUT
INTO REAL AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES.
00:15:57
- GOT YOU.
00:15:58
- BUT WHAT'S DIFFERENT
ABOUT PRSEUS
00:16:00
IS A COUPLE THINGS.
00:16:01
FIRST OF ALL IS THE STITCHING.
00:16:03
COMPOSITE MATERIALS,
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES,
00:16:05
ARE PUT TOGETHER USING LAYERS
OF GRAPHITE EPOXY
00:16:10
OR CARBON EPOXY MATERIALS
THAT'S ALL BUILT UP
00:16:14
INTO WHATEVER CONFIGURATION
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
00:16:16
WITH PRSEUS,
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
00:16:19
IS BUILD VERY LARGE
UNITIZED STRUCTURES.
00:16:22
SO WE CAN GET AWAY
FROM ALL THOSE FASTENERS
00:16:24
BY PUTTING IN THE STITCHES
AND BY MAKING VERY LARGE PARTS.
00:16:29
SO COMPOSITES ARE USEFUL,
COMPOSITES ARE GOOD,
00:16:32
BECAUSE THEY'RE LIGHTER WEIGHT
THAN ALUMINUM.
00:16:35
WITH LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURE,
00:16:36
YOU CAN CUT DOWN
ON YOUR FUEL COSTS.
00:16:39
AND OF COURSE, ONE OF THE THINGS
NASA'S LOOKING AT TODAY
00:16:42
IS REDUCING THE AMOUNT
OF FUEL THAT'S USED
00:16:44
AND PRODUCING LESS POLLUTION.
00:16:47
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT,
THE NEXT FLEET OF AIRCRAFT
00:16:51
WOULD BE LIGHTER
AND MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT.
00:16:53
- WHAT ARE YOU DOING
WITH THIS PIECE?
00:16:55
- OKAY, THIS PANEL
WAS FABRICATED BY BOEING.
00:16:57
WE'RE GONNA DO THE TESTING HERE.
00:16:59
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH IT IS,
00:17:01
WE'RE GONNA PUT IT
IN THIS TEST MACHINE.
00:17:02
SO WE'RE GONNA SLIDE IT BACK.
00:17:04
- RIGHT.
00:17:05
- WE'RE GONNA TAKE
THE PLATEN HERE,
00:17:06
RAISE IT UP,
PUT THE PANEL UNDERNEATH IT,
00:17:09
AND THEN POSITION THE PLATEN
00:17:11
SO THAT IT'S JUST
AT THE TOP OF THE PANEL.
00:17:13
NOW, THIS MACHINE CAN APPLY
00:17:14
UP TO A MILLION POUNDS
OF LOADING.
00:17:16
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO
IS BRING THE PLATEN DOWN
00:17:20
TO THE SURFACE OF THE PANEL
00:17:22
AND THEN SLOWLY APPLY LOAD
TO PUSH THE PANEL DOWN.
00:17:25
- OKAY.
00:17:26
- WHILE WE DO THAT,
00:17:27
WE'RE GONNA MONITOR
THE BEHAVIOR
00:17:29
OF ALL THE STRAIN GAUGES HERE
00:17:31
TO LOOK AT WHAT
THE PANEL'S FEELING.
00:17:32
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
ADDITIONAL MEASUREMENTS,
00:17:34
SO WE'RE GONNA LOOK
AT THE DISPLACEMENT,
00:17:36
HOW THE PANEL MOVES
00:17:38
IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
DURING THE TEST.
00:17:41
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY
TO FIND OUT
00:17:43
IS HOW THE PANEL BEHAVES
WHILE WE'RE PUSHING DOWN ON IT,
00:17:47
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT
TO FAILURE,
00:17:49
AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS,
00:17:51
WE'RE GONNA GET A FAILURE
SOMEWHERE IN THE PANEL,
00:17:53
PROBABLY SOMEWHERE
IN THIS REGION HERE.
00:17:56
- OKAY.
00:17:57
- AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS,
00:17:58
WE'LL SEE
WHAT THE FAILURE LOAD IS
00:18:00
AND WHERE IT STARTS,
00:18:02
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A LOOK
00:18:03
AT ALL THE INSTRUMENTATION
WE HAVE
00:18:05
AND COMPARE THAT
TO OUR ANALYSIS.
00:18:08
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE
AN ANALYSIS OF THE PANEL,
00:18:11
BUT THE REASON THAT WE HAVE
TO DO THE TESTING IS,
00:18:13
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE
OUR ANALYSIS IS RIGHT.
00:18:16
AND BECAUSE COMPOSITES
ARE A LOT NEWER THAN ALUMINUM--
00:18:20
AND PARTICULARLY PRSEUS
DOESN'T HAVE
00:18:22
THAT MUCH OF A DATABASE
TO DRAW FROM--
00:18:26
WE HAVE TO DO A LOT OF TESTING
00:18:27
TO MAKE SURE WE REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE BEHAVIOR,
00:18:30
'CAUSE YOU WOULDN'T WANT
TO PUT THIS KIND OF STRUCTURE
00:18:32
ON A REAL AIRPLANE UNLESS
YOU CAN PREDICT ITS BEHAVIOR.
00:18:35
AND THAT'S WHAT NASA'S
BEEN TRYING TO DO WITH BOEING
00:18:38
IS DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY
00:18:39
TO REALLY UNDERSTAND
THAT BEHAVIOR
00:18:41
SO WE CAN PREDICT IT.
00:18:43
- WELL, GOOD LUCK ON THE TEST.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
00:18:45
- DEFINITELY, AND WE HOPE TO
SEE THIS ON A FUTURE AIRPLANE.
00:18:48
- SO DO I.
- RIGHT ON.
00:19:08
- OKAY, SO FAR, WE HAVE SEEN
SOME OF THE WAYS
00:19:09
THAT NASA
USES COMPOSITE MATERIALS.
00:19:11
BUT NASA'S NOT THE ONLY
ORGANIZATION TO BE USING THEM.
00:19:14
NO, THERE ARE MANY INDUSTRIES
THAT USE THEM TOO,
00:19:16
LIKE THE AUTO INDUSTRY.
00:19:17
WHETHER IT'S A HUGE CAR COMPANY
OR A START-UP,
00:19:20
ALL OF THEM ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS
00:19:21
TO COMBINE STRENGTH
WITH WEIGHT REDUCTION
00:19:23
TO MAKE THEIR CARS
MORE EFFICIENT.
00:19:24
ONE COMPANY CALLED EDISON 2
00:19:26
IS TAKING THAT WEIGHT REDUCTION
TO THE LIMIT.
00:19:28
THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A CAR
FOR THE VERY LIGHT CAR CATEGORY
00:19:31
OF THE 100-MILES-PER-GALLON
"X" PRIZE COMPETITION
00:19:34
THAT THEY FEEL
IS THE MOST EFFICIENT
00:19:35
AUTO PLATFORM
EVER BUILT.
00:19:37
THIS LITTLE CAR IS AMAZING.
00:19:39
IT TAKES DESIGN CUES FROM SOME
00:19:40
OF THE TOP RACE CARS
IN THE WORLD
00:19:42
WHILE ALSO BEING INCREDIBLY SAFE
WITH PHENOMENAL MILEAGE.
00:19:46
I SPOKE WITH MY BUDDY
OLIVER KUTTNER
00:19:47
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT.
00:19:49
SO THIS IS THE VLC?
00:19:50
- YUP, THE VERY LIGHT CAR.
00:19:51
- VERY LIGHT CAR.
00:19:52
TELL US ALL ABOUT IT.
00:19:53
- WELL, WE WERE TRYING TO BUILD
THE MOST EFFICIENT CAR.
00:19:57
IT'S DESIGNED TO BE
A TWO- OR FOUR-SEAT CAR.
00:19:59
AND IT GETS 111 MILES PER GALLON
COMBINED EPA,
00:20:04
129 ON THE HIGHWAY.
00:20:06
AND WE DID IT
BY BASICALLY BUILDING
00:20:08
THE LIGHTEST POSSIBLE CAR
00:20:09
WITH THE LOWEST
AERODYNAMIC DRAG.
00:20:11
THE CAR SUBSTITUTES
PRESSURE DRAG FOR FRICTION DRAG,
00:20:14
LIKE AN AIRPLANE
OR A ROCKET WOULD.
00:20:16
YOU KNOW, THESE RACE CARS
ARE CARBON FIBER.
00:20:18
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A RACE
FOR A LOT OF MONEY,
00:20:21
SO WE DIDN'T LEAVE
ANY STONES UNTURNED.
00:20:23
WHAT IT REALLY IS, IT'S KIND OF
LIKE SPACE EXPLORATION.
00:20:27
WHAT WE TRIED TO DO
IS TO DEPART FROM THE ORDINARY
00:20:30
AND BUILD IT VERY LIGHT.
00:20:32
AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY HAS
A VERY DIFFICULT TIME DOING IT
00:20:35
BECAUSE OF ALL THE LEGACIES,
THE LARGE CORPORATIONS
00:20:37
AND THE HUGE AMOUNTS
OF MONEY INVOLVED
00:20:39
IN MAKING A MAJOR SHIFT.
00:20:40
AND THIS CAR DEMONSTRATES
THAT THE SHIFT EXISTS.
00:20:43
- CAN YOU TELL US SOME
ABOUT THE MATERIALS
00:20:45
THAT YOU USED TO BUILD THIS CAR?
00:20:46
- IT'S STEEL, ALUMINUM,
AND CARBON FIBER,
00:20:49
AND JUST USING IT WISELY
WHERE NECESSARY.
00:20:52
IT'S A STEEL-CHASSIS CAR,
00:20:53
BUT IT'S
A CARBON-FIBER-BODIED CAR
00:20:56
AND THE WHEEL CENTERS
ARE CARBON IN THIS CASE.
00:20:58
- DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES
OR SOMETHING YOU COULD SHOW US?
00:21:01
- HERE'S AN EXAMPLE.
00:21:02
THE WHEEL IS UNSPRUNG WEIGHT,
AND IT'S ROTATING MASS.
00:21:05
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE CENTER
OF THE WHEEL OUT OF CARBON.
00:21:08
- OKAY.
00:21:09
- AND THE OUTER PART
IS A CAST MAGNESIUM PIECE,
00:21:11
AND THE INNER PART
IS A MACHINED ALUMINUM PIECE.
00:21:13
- HUH.
00:21:14
- ALTOGETHER,
I THINK THIS IS A SIX-POUND
00:21:16
OR SEVEN-POUND WHEEL.
00:21:18
AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S AN EXAMPLE
00:21:20
OF USING MORE DIFFICULT
AND MORE COSTLY MATERIALS
00:21:24
WHERE THEIR PAYBACK
IS GREATEST.
00:21:25
AND IN THIS CASE,
IT WAS WORTH IT, WE FELT,
00:21:29
SO THAT'S WHY WE DID IT.
00:21:32
A CAR IS A SERIES
OF COMPROMISES.
00:21:33
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO ALSO
BALANCE COST IN ALL OF THIS.
00:21:38
SO WHILE WE ALL WANT
A SUPER HOT ROD
00:21:40
THAT'S ALL CARBON FIBER,
00:21:42
WHICH MIGHT BE
THE BEST SOLUTION,
00:21:43
IT MAY NOT BE
THE MOST REALISTIC
00:21:45
IF YOU WANT
TO SELL A MILLION COPIES.
00:21:46
SO YOU PUT
YOUR TRUMP CARD MATERIAL
00:21:48
WHERE IT MAKES
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE.
00:21:50
- SO, OLIVER, TELL US HOW
YOU GOT THE IDEA FOR THIS CAR.
00:21:52
- IT WAS THE "X" PRIZE.
00:21:54
I MEAN, THE "X" PRIZE SAID,
YOU KNOW,
00:21:56
YOU CAN WIN $10 MILLION IF YOU
BUILD THE MOST EFFICIENT CAR.
00:21:58
AND THEN I WENT
TO MY GOOD FRIEND RON MATHIS,
00:22:01
WHO IS A LONGTIME
AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES
00:22:05
AND LE MANS RACE CAR
DESIGNER-ENGINEER.
00:22:07
AND HE BASICALLY REELED ME DOWN
TO REALITY.
00:22:10
THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE
00:22:11
FOR EFFICIENCY
IN THE PLATFORM.
00:22:13
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
00:22:14
- CAN YOU TELL US
HOW IT WORKS?
00:22:16
- WELL, IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE
A GASOLINE-POWERED ENGINE.
00:22:19
IT RUNS ON E85.
00:22:21
BUT THIS CAR CAN BE RUN
ON ANY FUEL SOURCE.
00:22:23
IT COULD BE A DIESEL CAR.
00:22:24
IT COULD BE
A GASOLINE-ONLY CAR.
00:22:26
IT COULD BE A HYBRID,
AN ELECTRIC.
00:22:29
THE EFFICIENCY COMES OUT
OF THE DESIGN OF THE CAR ITSELF.
00:22:32
THAT'S WHAT DOES IT.
00:22:33
- IS IT POWERFUL?
00:22:35
- IT'S QUITE POWERFUL.
00:22:36
- YEAH?
00:22:37
- IT DOESN'T HAVE
THAT MUCH HORSEPOWER,
00:22:38
BUT IT'S QUITE QUICK,
AND IT HANDLES EXTREMELY WELL.
00:22:41
THE NASA PROGRAMS
HAVE BEEN REALLY CRUCIAL
00:22:44
TO A LOT OF MATERIAL SCIENCE
AND HOW WE DO THINGS.
00:22:47
AND IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIES,
00:22:49
THEY'VE CHANGED
THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE.
00:22:52
BUT IN AUTOMOBILES,
WE'VE KIND OF MISSED THE MARK.
00:22:55
AND IN MANY WAYS,
00:22:57
WE'RE STILL BUILDING
THE SAME 4,000-POUND CAR
00:23:00
TO MOVE THE 200-POUND PERSON.
00:23:02
IF WE EMBRACE THIS AS A METHOD
OF HOW TO BUILD CARS,
00:23:05
REGARDLESS IF THEY'RE ELECTRIC,
HYBRID,
00:23:07
DIESEL, OR GASOLINE,
00:23:08
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
COULD BECOME
00:23:11
AN OIL-EXPORTING NATION,
00:23:13
JUST EMBRACING
THE PRINCIPLE OF THIS.
00:23:16
THE EFFICIENCY WOULD BE A LEAP
FROM WHAT IT IS TODAY.
00:23:18
- OLIVER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
00:23:20
YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD
TO DRIVING ONE OF THESE VLCs.
00:23:22
YOU KNOW, MAYBE A BASIC BLACK?
00:23:25
- NEXT TIME YOU COME,
WE'LL HAVE ONE FOR YOU.
00:23:26
- PLEASE, AND MAKE SURE
IT'S ALL GLOSSED UP FOR ME.
00:23:28
AND GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING.
00:23:29
- THAT'S GOOD.
- THANKS, MAN.
00:23:31
- AS YOU CAN SEE, COMPOSITES
HAVE REALLY CHANGED OUR WORLD.
00:23:34
- THAT'S RIGHT.
00:23:35
AND WITH NASA ON THE CASE,
00:23:36
COMPOSITES WILL CONTINUE
TO IMPROVE FOR YEARS TO COME.
00:23:38
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.
I'M JOHNNY ALONSO.
00:23:40
- AND I'M JENNIFER PULLEY.
00:23:41
WE'LL CATCH YOU NEXT TIME
ON "NASA 360."
00:23:55
- THEY STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN
SOME OF THE COMPOSITE MATERIALS.
00:23:58
- TO EVEN NEXT--
00:24:00
I KNEW I WAS--
ONE OF THESE DAYS, I'M LIKE...
00:24:04
- OKAY, SO FAR, WE HAVE SEEN
SOME OF THE WAYS
00:24:06
THAT NASA USES
COMPOSITE MATERIAL.
00:24:07
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN SHOW ME
00:24:09
THAT, YOU KNOW, SHOWS
THAT IT'S NOT AS...
00:24:12
- NOW, THIS SWITCH
TO COMPOSITES
00:24:14
IS BECAUSE
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION.
00:24:16
NO, I'M JUST
MAKING UP WORDS NOW.
00:24:18
- COMPOSITES WILL CONTINUE TO--
SOMETHING, SOMETHING.
00:24:20
ONE MORE TIME.
00:24:21
GIVE ME ONE MORE--
I'M SORRY.
00:24:22
I'M NOT--I'M NOT
IN MY MIND FRAME RIGHT NOW.
