Plasma Processes Wins NASA's
Turning Goals Into Reality
(TGIR) Award for 2002

Following the development of the functional gradient (FGM) coating for enhanced microgravity experiments, Dick Holmes/NASA-MSFC worked with Sandy Elam/NASA-MSFC, Dave Ellis/NASA-GRC, and Tim McKechnie, Plasma Processes, Inc. to translate the technology to propulsion. Advanced robust liquid rocket engine liners were produced with a projected 100% increase in mission life and 50% reduction in fabrication time. A patent was obtained on the new process, which utilized VPS (vacuum plasma spray) to apply the FGM coating. GRCop-84, a copper alloy being developed by GRC, was utilized for the VPS process, to take advantage of its superior high temperature performance.

The joint MSFC/GRC/PPI cooperative work led to the formation of the "GRCop-84 Alloy Development Team" which won the 2003 TGIR award in the category "Objective #7: Mission Affordability". The award was presented at NASA's Turning Goals Into Reality (TGIR) Conference, The Second Century of Flight: Challenges and Opportunities, 6/10/03 to 6/12/03.

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