NASA Tests Fire-Resistant Webbing for Future Lunar and Martian Missions

• NASA identified a 60% Kevlar®/40% polybenzimidazole (PBI) webbing from Sturges Manufacturing Company as suitable for high-oxygen environments.
• The material passed NASA-STD-6001B testing at 37% oxygen and 8.2 psia, a standard required for future Moon and Mars crewed missions.
• These textiles are intended for softgoods like restraint nets, storage bags, and crew mobility aids.

Background and Context

• Future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars plan for elevated oxygen environments to reduce prebreathe times before extravehicular activities (EVAs).
• Standard nylon or meta-aramid webbings fail to meet flammability requirements in these specific oxygen-rich conditions.
• NASA's Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) is sourcing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) textiles to serve as building blocks for flight-certified hardware.

Test Methodology

• Testing was conducted at the White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) using NASA-STD-6001B Test 1.
• Evaluation used an unshielded J-configuration to determine the Maximum Oxygen Concentration (MOC) at 8.2 psia.
• Researchers tested one-inch-width samples in both natural (gold) and black colorways.

Results and Performance

• Natural webbing achieved an MOC of 37% oxygen.
• Black webbing achieved an MOC of 35% oxygen.
• Offgassing data was validated for the natural webbing.

Implementation Caveats

• Individual material test results do not guarantee the safety of finished assemblies.
• Final products must be tested in their full configuration, as dimensions, weave, dye, and fasteners can alter flammability characteristics.
• Wear and tear effects were not assessed in this study and must be evaluated independently.