Research
Optimal Design of Lubricants for Space Equipment that Contribute to Manned Space Development
As space missions diversify, including manned lunar exploration, the size of space equipment is increasing and it is being driven at higher speeds, so there is a need for new lubrication technology that can cope with harsh sliding conditions. Conventionally, high-viscosity oils with low vapor pressure have been used in space equipment, but they have poor friction reduction and wear resistance. As a solution to this problem, it is necessary to improve friction reduction and wear resistance by adding various extreme pressure additives to lubricating oil. In this study, we aim to evaluate the applicability of lubricating oil for space use that contains various extreme pressure additives and to perform optimal design of lubricants for space use.