Copper in Space Probe: NASA Impactor digs into the Comet surface for Research

In July 2005, NASA launched an ambitious project into space. The project was pegged on the performance of mankind’s oldest known metal- Copper. The NASA Project was designed to rip open a comet in the outer space and extract valuable cosmic compounds from its core and bring it back to Earth for studies. The probe deployed high quality copper wire modules and copper-topped body. The armoured probe vehicle blasted into the comet surface and examined the contents.

Do you know about the project and how important it is for mankind? How copper played a vital role in the project?

Let us find out.

Name of the probe:

The mission is carried forward by the barrel-shaped tinned copper body called Deep Imapactor. It is one of the most sophisticated space vehicles ever conceived, designed and built by NASA scientists. The core of the vehicle is run by electronic chips made of copper compounds and aluminium interconnects. The electrical are braided copper wires housed to nano-sized motors driving synchronously with the electronic circuitry. Fibre optic cables- Single mode, have also been extensively used along with bare copper wires in the transmitting signals.

Role of Copper:

Copper is used as the core element in the probe. It is the heavy metal base in the project that gives the Deep Impactor much of its weight. Weighing 816 pounds, Deep Impactor’s weight more or less is entirely contributed by copper and its wire frames. The alloyed copper wires and body plates gave it the aerodynamic suppleness and efficiency. Striking the comet at a speed of 6.6 miles per second, the probe dented a hole into the comet, the size of a big football field.

 Here are some of the salient features of the copper used in the probe mission.

•    Copper wires used in the electronic cluster used 3 percent beryllium for fortification.

•    Molecular structure of copper makes it one of the most prolific space materials. It resists corrosion and highly inflammable space conditions owing to its partial inertness against oxygen. Once it collided with the comet, the electrical parts remained intact. It did not get burned due to the huge amount of energy released from the collision. Success of the mission was majorly based on the quality and performance of the copper wire used.

•    Copper resisted the high temperatures and did not turn into vapours. The scientists in NASA could gather valuable information as the emissions did not interfere with the probe.

Name of the comet it is examining:

The Deep Impactor space probe followed the trail of the comet named, Tempel I. It chased the comet for 175 days before colliding with it on its course. The comet is travelling at a speed of 6.4 miles per second. NASA’s electronically guided navigation system directed the probe on the comet’s trail 2 hours before collision. The comet’s nucleus was the collision point, defined strategically by high-end navigation system. It collided on July 4, 2005.

Copper continues to feature in NASA’s space probe mission due to its resounding success in the past.

What makes Copper Pipes Unbeatable Choice for Varied Industries?

Copper can be regarded as an indispensable metal that is widely utilized in various industries all over the world in some form or the other. The most common use of copper has been found to be in the electrical industry. Copper has widespread popularity in that particular area for being good conductor of electrical charge. However, copper as a metal has other varied and important uses as well. Copper being a metal is malleable and ductile. These factors make it an important constituent in plumbing as well as architectural use. One such popular use of copper is in the form of copper pipes.

Copper Pipes: A Brief Introduction to the Features
Copper Pipes or tubes have widespread popularity for the movement of various kinds of materials through them. Apart from being, a good electrical and thermal conductor copper has a good name for being resistant towards various adverse factors.  These factors include corrosion, atmospheric fluctuations, thermal damage and many more.

Copper Pipes are available in two primary forms:
•    Hard or Drawn Copper Pipes and Tubes
•    Soft or Annealed Copper Pipes and Tubes
Both these forms of copper pipes are utilized as per the dictates of the requirements mentioned for the project where they are used.
The primary features of copper tubes or pipes are listed as follows:
•    Copper pipes have been procured to be versatile in their performance
•    They are available in a wide range of lengths, diameters and shapes. Moreover, all these feature can be customized as per the requirements of the projects.
•    The performance of copper pipes in the various areas have been found to be practically flawless
•    The life cycle of copper pipes is comparatively long
•    Copper pipes have negligible maintenance
•    The resistance towards corrosion in any form is found to be high in copper pipes
•    The thermal conductivity of copper pipes is found to be good, which makes it an important constituent in HVAC systems
•    Installation and customization of copper pipes and fittings is found to be quite easy
•    The cost effectiveness of copper is found to be affordable as per its performance when copper pipes are considered for various projects
Uses of Copper Pipes
The applications where a copper pipe is found out to be a primary constituent include:
•    Water Supply as well as distribution Systems both superficial as well as underground
•    Gas Services that require underground plumbing
•    HVAC Systems including air cooling as well heating for buildings
•    Refrigerators use copper pipes extensively for their cooling units
•    Solar Heating Systems where thermal conductivity is required
•    Systems those are responsible for supply and distribution of fuel oils
•    Supply Systems for Oxygen as well as other medical gases, which are non-inflammable
•    Reinforcement system in concrete for buildings where iron cannot be used for atmospheric conditions like the coastal areas
•    Decorative agents for interior design in building as well as the exterior parts as well

Copper pipes must be chosen with care and consideration before using them for the specified requirements.
 

A look at the Uses & Benefits of Copper Sheets

Copper has been used since times immemorial for the various activities that the human beings have been carrying out. In fact, the use of copper had been so intensive during the prehistoric era that an age dedicated to copper has been named as The Copper Age. The major use of copper as of date has been considered in three primary areas like electrical wiring, plumbing and roofing as well as industrial machinery. Apart from the area of electrical wiring, copper sheets are extensively used elsewhere in order to cater the various requirements of the other industries.

Recognized Uses Of Copper Sheets
Just like any other metal copper is extremely ductile and malleable. These features make copper a much-loved choice for the various uses of copper sheets in the industry. The most common areas where copper sheets are used include:

•    Integrated Circuits and other circuit boards like the printed ones use smaller copper sheets for conductivity purposes
•    Heat exchangers and sinks have extensive use of copper sheets for their excellent heat conducting capabilities
•    Several electronic devices like electromagnets, cathode ray tubes or vacuum tube also use copper sheets for their proper functioning
•    Copper sheets have been an important part of magnetrons or wave-guides in microwave ovens.
•    Copper sheets are also an important part of various kinds of mechanical or electrical motors.
•    Copper sheets have been used for a long time as roofing and flashing materials for their various advantages.
•    Many parts of building like elevations and facades use sheets of copper for decorative purposes as well.
•    Copper sheets when molded various elements of building like spires, vaults, domes, etc.
•    Sheets of copper have been used as sheathing of ships and other water borne vessels as well.
•    Copper sheets have been used extensively in making utensils as well.
•    Copper sheets are also used extensively in manufacturing brackets.
Benefits of Copper Sheets
•    Copper Sheets are quite durable in nature thus making them an important choice for the various areas where they are used.
•    Being metal, copper sheets are ductile as well as malleable. These two properties help the users for the copper sheets to give them any shape and appearance or shape they want.
•    The excellent brazing and soldering properties of copper sheets helps them to be easily welded thus making it easy to be used where joints are required.
•    The features of copper being comparatively lightweight, having a thermal movement that is low along with its ability against lightening protection and corrosion resistant makes copper sheet a good choice as roofing or building material.
•    Copper is essentially biostatic, which means that bacterial growth is negligible on the metal. This property is used to protect ships and other water vessels against mussles and barnacles. This property also utilized behind the rationale of using copper sheets as utensils.

Copper sheets even though a bit expensive should be used for its recyclable and environmental factors.

An insight into copper and main kinds of Copper Wires

Copper wires have emerged as one of the most reliable and best conductors of electric energy. It is the reason that you will see them in almost everything from wiring in buildings to kitchen appliance; from telecommunication devices to ground electrical system.  It is tough to come across a device where copper wires are not used. These wires come in a variety of forms, each having its own unique properties. The famous of the lot being Tinned copper wires and Bare Copper Wires. Both these are used extensively in ground electric circuits. Let us take a look at top three kind of copper wires used in various industries.

Bare Solid Copper:
Solid Bare Copper wires are non flexible. They come up an ideal choice for ground wire. It is preferably used where not much bending and moving is required. The solid bare copper wires comes in variety of sizes, you can easily get one that suits your need from 2 AWG to 28 AWG. These wires become tough to bend with increase in size. They are perfect where flexibility doesn’t matter but toughness is the priority. It is one of the reasons that it is also used in humid environment where the wires are constantly exposed to moisture.

Stranded Bare Copper:
These wires are made from mechanically twisting small gauge wires and combining it to form large conductors.  These are durable and flexible when compared to similar wires available in the market. It is flexible because of the use of small strings for making it. The other notable quality of the wire is its sturdiness and durability which is due to the presence of thin conductors in the wires.  These are widely used in construction materials.

Tinned Copper Wire:
Tinned copper wires are generally made from stranded copper. It has thin plating of tin which makes it easy to solder during assembling. The non-insulated tin wires are good conductor of electricity. The tin coating boosts its properties.  The durability is another key feature of tin copper wires. When compared to normal 14 gauge copper wire, the tin coated copper lasts almost ten times longer. Moreover, the tin shielding protects it from rusting and increases the life of the copper. It gives value for money to the homeowner with steady performance and less maintenance.

Should we use non-insulated copper wires?
Safety should be always the first priority. The copper wires without any insulation should not be used. It doesn’t matter if you are planning to use it for a very low voltage because there is always a threat of the person coming in contact getting electrified. The places where you can use non-insulated copper wires should be the places where your hand cannot reach like the overhead power sources.

It is advised not to use these wires without insulation as it may lead to shock. A wire with insulation saves the person from being electrified who accidental touches or comes in contact with the cables.