ECSS-Q-70-20A, SPACE PRODUCT ASSURANCE, DETERMINATION OF THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SILVER-PLATED COPPER WIRE AND CABLE TO "RED-PLAGUE" CORROSION (19 DEC 2
ECSS-Q-70-20A, SPACE PRODUCT ASSURANCE, DETERMINATION OF THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SILVER-PLATED COPPER WIRE AND CABLE TO "RED-PLAGUE" CORROSION (19 DEC 2000)., Silver-plated copper conductors are suitable for general spacecraft use, but it is essential
that the plating is of uniform thickness of at least 2 μm. Localized damage
due to wire or cable fabrication processes (e.g. stranding, braiding, application of
insulation jackets) can result in spots in the plating where the thickness is less
that 1 μm.Wire strands supporting silver platings less than 1 μmthick are susceptible
to red-plague corrosion.
The deleterious effects to be anticipated as a result of testing wires and cables to
the requirements of this Standard, which is accelerated by means of oxygen, high
humidity and elevated temperature, include corrosion of all defective silver-plated
conductor materials and shielding braid or the strands of internal conductors.
Silver-plated copper wires or cables that are tested and successfully pass the acceptance
criteria as defined in this Standard are considered not to suffer from
degradation by red-plague corrosion during ten-year controlled storage periods
and normal spacecraft service lifetimes.