Why doesn't duct tape work in the vacuum of space?

June 13, 2007 8:06 AM

In this article, one of NASA's rocket scientists said that duct tape doesn't work in the vacuum of space. Why is that?
posted by banshee to science & nature (21 comments total)

The extremes of temperature. More on space duct tape.
posted by zamboni at 8:09 AM on June 13, 2007

There may be some volatile organic compounds in the adhesive that boil off in vacuum, making ths sticky stuff into cry, crumbly stuff. Ever seen an old pieve of tape that was all crusty and brittle? Vacuum woul dmake that happen pretty fast.
posted by GuyZero at 8:22 AM on June 13, 2007

According to zamboni's link, duct tape does work in the vacuum of space (or at least the moon).

I can't imagine it surviving reentry.
posted by MtDewd at 8:32 AM on June 13, 2007

Duct tape - Good for many things, but not for ducts...
posted by samsara at 9:04 AM on June 13, 2007

Try to use duct tape in the dead of winter. Space is colder than that.
posted by JJ86 at 9:10 AM on June 13, 2007

Duct tape - Good for many things, but not for ducts...

I'd just like to point out that contrary to what that link says, Gaffer's Tape is not the same as duct tape.
posted by drezdn at 10:19 AM on June 13, 2007

gaffers tape >> duct tape.
posted by virga at 10:57 AM on June 13, 2007

Try to use duct tape in the dead of winter.

I have, down to below -30C. It works as long as the surface is dry. It does get less sticky in the cold though.
posted by bonehead at 11:00 AM on June 13, 2007

Space is not cold. It's not not either. It's a vacuum and is better referred to as temperatureless. Objects will experience temperature extremes as they pass in and out of sunlight. These thermal shifts will probably bust up duct tape. Objects also receive a lot more UV than they would on earth which quickly weakens plastics and would also probably destroy duct tape.

Even if it did work in space, it sure as hell won't work on reentry.
posted by chairface at 11:42 AM on June 13, 2007

ack. "not not" => "not hot"
posted by chairface at 11:46 AM on June 13, 2007

I'd just like to point out that contrary to what that link says, Gaffer's Tape is not the same as duct tape.

True. In the third paragraph it explains how a form of gaffers tape evolved into today's more fabric duct tape.

The main point of linking that article is for the 1998 LBNL study which determined duct tape, while a useful adhesive, is a very poor choice for creating seals.
posted by samsara at 12:28 PM on June 13, 2007

(er meant more residual, not fabric)
posted by samsara at 12:29 PM on June 13, 2007

Space is not cold

Yes it is.
posted by popechunk at 1:19 PM on June 13, 2007

Pff. Obviously space is cold:

Khan: Ah Kirk, my old friend. Do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is very cold in space.
posted by GuyZero at 2:20 PM on June 13, 2007

Remember the old days when someone would have posted Captain Kirk yelling "Khan"? Good times.
posted by Cranberry at 2:37 PM on June 13, 2007

"not not" => "not hot"

> echo $chairface('not not');

not hot

posted by davejay at 3:08 PM on June 13, 2007

er, shouldabeen ['not not']. so much for teh funny.
posted by davejay at 3:08 PM on June 13, 2007

popechuck that is an answer to a different question (IE: what would a thermometre at steady state in space and shielded from radiation read?)

A vacuum doesn't have a temperature, it is like saying sounds have mass. Now interstellar space runs something like one atom per cubic metre so it's not 100% but close enough for goverment work.
posted by Mitheral at 7:35 PM on June 13, 2007

About the temperature of space question (sorry about the derail). Every object above the temperature of absolute zero radiates heat. In dark space an object would lose heat at the same rate as if it was in Antarctica on the coldest day (neglect wind-chill, of course). If the object was in the sun it would gain thermal radiation from the sun but in shadow there would be no gain, it would all be loss.

So imagine how quickly any warm object will lose heat on a cold day on Earth. That is pretty much what will happen in space and is the reason why spacemen have heaters in their heavily insulated suits.

While technically chairface is right, a roll of tape isn't going to be keeping its heat for very long.
posted by JJ86 at 6:01 AM on June 14, 2007

gaffa tape >> gaffer's tape >> duck tape >> duct tape

So there.
posted by Luddite at 7:14 AM on June 14, 2007

Thanks all for the answers. I am going to go with the extreme temperature fluctuations as being the reason.
posted by banshee at 9:27 AM on June 15, 2007