What types of glass are used in space vehicles?

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newtonian

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Is bulletproof glass used for meteorite resistance?<br /><br />Is heat and cold tolerant glass used?<br /><br />I am aware that the smoothest surface glass is far more resistant to stress and shock, for example.<br /><br />And then there is high silicon content glass, pyrex, etc.<br /><br />Tensile strength of some types of glass is greater than steel.<br /><br />Guess why I am researching this!
 
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yevaud

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<i>Guess why I am researching this!</i><br /><br />Umm, you're going to launch an obnoxious neighbor into orbit?<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>
 
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newtonian

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shuttle_guy - Thank you for the quick response.<br /><br />What kind of structural metal is used?<br /><br />Are there air spaces between the 3 panes of glass - is it insulating glass?
 
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newtonian

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Yevaud - Er - No!<br /><br />Glass resistant to the rigors of space travel would likely also be resistant to the rigors earth will go through during red giant phase - my pet fun research focus right now.
 
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newtonian

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shuttle_guy - What alloy of aluminum - or just plain free aluminum with a coating of aluminum oxide (Alumina)?<br /><br />Concerning glass types - a few notes I have already gleaned from Britannica:<br /><br />Near perfect glass fibers (flaws greatly weaken glass) can support loads of up to 500 tons per square inch and have a tensile strength 5 times that of available steel and double that of the theoretical limit for steel - <br />"The New Encyclopedia Britannica," 1989 print edition, volume 21, p. 234.<br /><br />"Borosilicate glass (pyrex type) is far more resistant to tensile strength; while both the so-called Vycor glass, containing 96% silica, and pure silica glass are virtually immune to thermal shock." - Ibid., p. 235<br /><br />Borosilicate glass is 60-80% silica (SiO2). 10-15% boric oxide (B2O3), 1-4% alumina (Al2O3). <br /><br />Antiradiation glass is 20% silica; 80% lead oxide (PbO)<br /><br />High silica (Shrunken glass) is 96% silica; 3-4 % boric oxide.<br /><br />Thinner glass is more resistant to thermal shock because glass insulates and therefore the interior of thick glass is hotter on rapid cooling and therefore more expanded that the surface and therefore causes great tensile stress.<br /><br />However, Borosilicate glass, pyrex, expands more slowly. Low expansion glass is therefore used in telescopes (like on Mt. Palomar).<br /><br />Shrunken glass is lower expansion than Pyrex and also has a very high melting point - so it is used for applications involving extreme thermal shock.<br /><br />This type of glass is formed from borosilicate glass larger than the final size, non-silicate materials are leached out, the glass is then heated to remove the resulting pores.<br /><br />Shrunken glass is virtually immune to thermal shock and can be used in working applications well over 1,000 C (1800 F). - Ibic., p. 241<br /><br />The same variability in properties exists with the various aluminum alloys which is why I am interested in what type of aluminum is used on the shutt
 
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CalliArcale

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<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I do not know the type of glass used. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />I've read that it is indeed Pyrex, made by Dow Corning. That's what the Shuttle News Reference Manual says, anyway. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>
 
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CalliArcale

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<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Venus, btw., is less than that 1000 C [about 500 C]- therefore shrunken glass should survive on Venus - assuming glass is immune to sulfphuric acid????<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />I think it is immune, if I'm remembering correctly from my chemistry labs ten years ago. But metal isn't; you have to make sure you use a glass stirring rod and not a metal one. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>
 
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