Properties of Space Cover Glass Materials Postexposure to High-Energy Electron Irradiation

Cover glasses are essential for protecting spacecraft solar arrays from space radiation and debris impacts. However, their insulating properties make them susceptible to charging from electron interactions in space plasma, potentially causing arcing at the “triple junctions”—where the insulator, conductor, and space plasma meet. This can lead to rapid discharges, power transients, and, in severe cases, damage to the solar cell circuit. This study examines the impact of high-energy electron bombardment ([Formula: see text]) on the surface morphology and chemical composition of four common space cover glass materials: CMX, CMO, CMG, and Corning 0214. Using surface roughness measurements, radiation-induced defect counts, and elemental analysis, we evaluated the radiation-induced changes in these materials. Our results show that CMX cover glass exhibits excellent radiation stability, making it a strong candidate for space solar arrays, while other materials demonstrate varying degrees of degradation under electron bombardment.