Branch Chief – Gail Gordon

The Materials Test Branch investigates materials intended for use in space flight hardware systems, including structural, mechanical, and electronic applications. By conducting standard and custom tests on metallic, nonmetallic, and composite samples, often under extreme conditions that simulate the harsh environments found in advanced propulsion systems, the Earth's upper atmosphere, and space, the branch identifies a material's properties under different processing and test parameters to determine whether it can be safely used in high-performance flight hardware.
                             

The Materials Test Branch provides full-service testing, from sample preparation, through test planning and hardware design, to complete data analysis. The branch conducts traditional tests NASA requires to qualify materials and components for space flight and designs and devlops customized testers and test plans requested by NASA programs and aerospace companies. The three Branch teams are constantly accessing emerging technologies to improve test capabilities.

The Chemistry Team

• Analyzes chemical, crystallographic, thermal, and thermophysical properties of materials critical to the success of NASA’s mission
• Identifies chemical contaminants
• Conducts comprehensive set of combustion, toxicity, and thermal vacuum tests required for materials that are candidates for spacefligh

The Mechanical Test Team:

• Provides comprehensive, flexible capabilities for mechanical and environmental exposure testing
• Evaluates a wide range of materials, including composites, under simulated and extreme service conditi

The Tribology Team:

• Evaluates lubricants under conditions of very high loads, vacuum, and low Earth orbit environments
• Performs surface wear analysis and bearing testing
• Evaluates tribological failures
  

 

Points of Contact:
Gail H. Gordon	Branch Chief	256-544-2726
James H. Perkins	The Chemistry Team	256-544-2634
Tina M. Malone	Mechanical Test Team Lead	256-544-2593
Howard G. Gibson	Tribology Team Lead	256-544-2513