Louis G. MacDowell

Electrochemical Evaluation of Alloys for Spaceport Design

Corrosion studies began at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in 1966 during the Gemini/Apollo Programs with the evaluation of long‐term protective coatings for the corrosion protection of carbon steel. NASA’s KSC Beach Corrosion Test Site, which was established at that time, has been documented by the American Society of Materials (ASM) as one of the most corrosive naturally occurring environments in the world. With the introduction of the Space Shuttle in 1981, the already highly corrosive conditions at the launch pad were rendered even more severe by the acidic exhaust from the solid rocker boosters. In the years that followed, numerous studies have identified materials, coatings, and maintenance procedures for launch hardware and equipment exposed to the highly corrosive environment at the launch pad. The Corrosion Laboratory was established at KSC in 1985 and was outfitted with state‐of‐the‐art electrochemistry equipment to conduct research and materials characterization in many different corrosive envir...