Spaceflight engineers face three constant challenges: reducing weight and size, improving thermal insulation and increasing reliability. Progress in these fields does not just benefit rocket launches or spacecraft. Auto Race teams face the same three challenges
Since 2002, the European Space Agency has been a partner of the motor-racing team Pescarolo Sport to improve their performance, safety and driver comfort.
“When orbiting, one kilogram can cost 100 000 euros. Reducing the mass of something launched into space is paramount,” explains Pierre Brisson, head of ESA’s Technology Transfer and Promotion Office. “We get similar advantages for cars. Using lightweight carbon space composites we have, over two years, allowed Pescarolo Sport to trim 38 kg off their racing cars.”
Safety is improved using such high-resistance materials and so is reliability. “We have adapted the thermal insulation used on Ariane 5’s Vulcain engines to protect the car’s petrol tank from the heat of the engine and exhausts, and to insulate the driver’s cockpit,” confirms André de Cortanze, Technical Director of the Pescarolo Sport team.
The friction and weight of the four wheels have also been reduced thanks to space technology. The car carries high-performance space bearings originally developed for spacecraft. Today these special bearings are used in gyroscopes onboard satellites and also in Ariane 5’s Vulcain engine fuel pump. According to André de Cortanze around 30% of the total improvements in performance and speed since 2003 can be attributed to the use of the space bearings.
The team concluded the 2003 race season with considerable satisfaction. Their space-technology prototypes won two FIA Sportscar Championship races, and ended up overall second. They also finished eighth and ninth out of 50 competitors in the legendary 24-hour Le Mans endurance race.
ESA Story;
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMPO03VQUD_Improving_0.html