Electrical Sliding Contacts for Application in Space Environments

Abstract

Performance characteristics of electrical contacts lubricated with niobium diselenide were found to be superior to similar materials lubricated with molybdenum disulfide while transferring power to a slow speed silver slip ring for a period of 1000 hours. Lower and more stable contact voltage was the main improvement shown while operating in a vacuum chamber near 2.0 × 10-8 torr.