Time capsule

Judith Murphy <jamurphy [at] unm__edu> writes

>Received a request from Myra O'Canna, librarian at Sandia Labs, who
>is not on this list.  She wants to know if it is a good idea to pack
>a tiny landmine-finding robot, about the size of a sugar cube,
>inside a black or opaque film can?  Also, she has some salt from a
>solar project, and a piece of rubber tire, that should be
>hermetically sealed, to go inside the larger time capsule
>celebrating the lab's 50th anniversary.  Does anyone know how this
>should be done?  The capsule will be opened in 25 years, so it's not
>like some millennium projects.  Thank you for any suggestions or
>further questions to consider.

1.  I would like to know more about the robot's makeup. Does it have
    mixed materials such as metal and plastic, and what sort of
    electronics does it house? Does it have any rubber? Protruding
    parts? How static sensitive is it?  Will it be expected to work
    when the time capsule is opened? I would probably give this item
    a static sensitive bag overwrap, but it depends on the above.
    Our Marvelseal type bags would be better barrier-wise, and we'd
    need to determine how much desiccant/silica gel to use inside.
    Of course, it would be vacuum-packed unless it's very fragile.

2.  Salt from a solar project:  Is there any reason not to use a
    HDPE Nalgene bottle?  Also, glass?

3.  Rubber tire.  We prepared the Michelin time capsule, and each of
    their slices was given a vacuum pack inside a Marvelseal bag.
    Rubber does best in the absence of oxygen. Discussion welcomed,

Janet
Future P&P Time Capsules
Covina CA
800-786-6627

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:18
               Distributed: Wednesday, September 1, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-13-18-004
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