Insights

CABARET, ESTL’s own bearing analysis software, having its roots in rocket engine turbopump development (hence its name – Code for Analysis of BeArings in Rocket Engine Turbopumps), has a 35-year history of serving the specific analysis requirements of the European space industry, with the funding and support of the European Space Agency (ESA[M).

For many decades, spacecraft mechanisms have relied heavily on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricants, PTFE-thickened greases and fluorinated solvents have become the industry’s trusted “heritage” materials, enabling reliable operation across extreme temperatures and hostile space environments. However, this long-established position is beginning to change.

At the European Space Tribology Laboratory (ESTL), we recently assessed two widely used self-lubricating materials, PGM-HT and its newer replacement TECASINT 8591, under representative vacuum conditions using our Vacuum Mini Traction Machine (VMTM).