3 ms·

There's some kind of aircraft repair tape like duct tape, which is made with much stronger fibers and uses a much stronger adhesive. It's not called "aircraft t

There's some kind of aircraft repair tape like duct tape, which is made with much stronger fibers and uses a much stronger adhesive. It's not called "aircraft tape," however. That's something else. A friend was telling me that there was a small hole in a submarine once found patched by the stuff. I try to carry 4 strips of medical tape stuck to the back of my emergency credit card. I think I have to check it and restock.

rbanffy 8y ago
The one used in aircraft is called speed tape. It's thick aluminum foil and a high-grade adhesive and resists well to heat, some fire, and lots of wind. There's also one called "Gorilla tape", IIRC, that's like duct tape but much stronger. A submarine is subject to much higher pressure differentials than aircraft or spacecraft (and also from the wrong directions for easy repairs from the inside) and I wouldn't recommend relying on it for long. I'm not sure how speed tape would work if applied in a vacuum, but I guess most repairs like this would be done from the inside, under some pressurization. Speed tape would be better, but, if you have external thermal blankets over the hull, duct tape should do just fine. It's only 1 atmosphere, after all (0.25 if you can do pure oxygen). Eventually, when you stop by a proper facility, you'll want to do something more permanent (and fix the thermal blankets/external hull, because, if it was a micrometeorite that reached the pressurized part, there must be a hole there too).
- stcredzero 8y ago
  A submarine is subject to much higher pressure differentials than aircraft or spacecraft (and also from the wrong directions for easy repairs from the inside) and I wouldn't recommend relying on it for long. The story was that the discovery was one of horror. Basically, it was a tragedy averted. Also, the tape was on the outside, but I forget the particulars.
  - rbanffy 8y ago
    I hope the crew knew about it and was ready to surface if it started leaking. Well... I guess submarine crews are a good model for astronauts in that they live surrounded by a lethal environment. The difference is that, if you venture outside low Earth orbit, you may be days away from safety, so an extra amount of zeal with improvised repairs may be warranted.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

rbanffy 8y ago

The one used in aircraft is called speed tape. It's thick aluminum foil and a high-grade adhesive and resists well to heat, some fire, and lots of wind. There's also one called "Gorilla tape", IIRC, that's like duct tape but much stronger. A submarine is subject to much higher pressure differentials than aircraft or spacecraft (and also from the wrong directions for easy repairs from the inside) and I wouldn't recommend relying on it for long. I'm not sure how speed tape would work if applied in a vacuum, but I guess most repairs like this would be done from the inside, under some pressurization. Speed tape would be better, but, if you have external thermal blankets over the hull, duct tape should do just fine. It's only 1 atmosphere, after all (0.25 if you can do pure oxygen). Eventually, when you stop by a proper facility, you'll want to do something more permanent (and fix the thermal blankets/external hull, because, if it was a micrometeorite that reached the pressurized part, there must be a hole there too).

stcredzero 8y ago
A submarine is subject to much higher pressure differentials than aircraft or spacecraft (and also from the wrong directions for easy repairs from the inside) and I wouldn't recommend relying on it for long. The story was that the discovery was one of horror. Basically, it was a tragedy averted. Also, the tape was on the outside, but I forget the particulars.
- rbanffy 8y ago
  I hope the crew knew about it and was ready to surface if it started leaking. Well... I guess submarine crews are a good model for astronauts in that they live surrounded by a lethal environment. The difference is that, if you venture outside low Earth orbit, you may be days away from safety, so an extra amount of zeal with improvised repairs may be warranted.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]