NITRONIC 60 is out of this world

High Performance Alloys worked with NASA on another project, one that keen observers can see in the night sky.  The International Space Station (ISS), which is the third brightest object in the night sky according to NASA, was another high-profile project for High Performance Alloys.

The International Space Station, or ISS for short, has been orbiting over Earth since Nov. 20, 1998. Its first human occupation mission, Expedition 1, launched in Oct. 31, 2000 and docked Nov. 2. Since the first docking with a shuttle, 214 individuals have visited the space station.

Featuring two Americans, three Russians and one German, the current ISS crew is truly international. The initial mission for ISS according to NASA was to see the effects of the microgravity and other space effects on human life. They can spend months at a time working on scientific experiments in an environment with much less gravity.

High Performance Alloys, a company based in Tipton, Ind., specializes in alloys that can maintain their properties in high stress environments. They thrive on small quantity orders and speedy manufacturing to get parts to customers that might need them for research and development, or small-scale projects.

Jeff Kirchner, COO of High Performance Alloys said, “Knowing that in a small Indiana town like Tipton, alloys are being made that are out of this world is exciting.”

NASA decided on a popular High Performance Alloys product, Nitronic 60. The Nitronic series has great temperature resistant properties and importantly it’s resistance to galling made it ideal for NASA’s purposes. The side of the station in the sun can reach temperatures of 250°F and the dark side plunges down to -250°F. Nitronic 60’s ability to continue to maintain strength in various temperatures fits the needs of NASA’s harsh environments.

The Nitronic 60 alloy was chosen for the docking pins on the space station. These pins are integral for the international spacecraft that visit what NASA refers to as a “space port.” As of June 2014, the space station has been the destination for: 97 Russian launches, 37 space shuttle launches, one test flight and three operational flights by SpaceX’s Dragon, one test flight and one operational flight by Orbital’s Cygnus, four Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicles (HTVs), and four European Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATVs).

Despite its small roots, High Performance Alloys is proud to know that their part has helped progress scientific achievements and advancements. Also, having a product High Performance Alloys worked on orbiting Earth for over a decade is a nice accolade to boast. 

Written by Kaegan Stogsdill