Lightweight beryllium wins wings as real heavyweight

Development of Be materials with improved strength and ductility levels is possible by exploitation of new consolidation techniques, such as cold and hot isostatic pressing and plasma spraying followed by sintering. Working the vacuum hot pressed billet by cross-rolling or extruding and by forging improves the mechanical properties. The valuable contributions of Be in aerospace and nuclear applications are considered. SNAP-8 and SNAP-10A applications, replacement of an Al alloy on the Minuteman spacer ring by Be, aircraft (flight testing of F-4 Phantom with a Be rudder and actual structural application of Be wrought mill product in F-14 Tomcat) and communication satellite (despin platforms, spinning arms, russ structures) applications are discussed together with instrument applications (guidance systems for Saturn V, Minuteman and the Boeing 747, proportional counters for space-oriented x-ray experiments), Be applications in lunar explorations, expanding use of Be in space applications as a mirror blank material and Be disks for the brakes of giant aircraft. Beryllium has the highest specific heat of all structural metals and it shows chemical inertness to many of the common ocket propellants and their combustion products. Its handicaps are high cost and poor impact behavior. (U.S.)