Objective The tribological properties of sodium silicate bonded MoS2 solid lubricating coatings were studied as the lubricating requirement of the space machinery grows. Methods The friction and wear performances of the sodium silicate bonded MoS2 solid lubricating coatings on several kinds of substrate were studied by a ball-on-disc tribometer in vacuum condition. And the friction properties on 9Cr18 substrate at high temperature were also investigated. The morphologies of the wear trace on the coatings were investigated by surface profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. Results The results indicated that the friction coefficient of the lubricating coatings on the several kinds of substrate was lower than 0. 1 in vacuum condition. The friction coefficient decreased and the wear life increased as the hardness of the substrate increased in vacuum condition. The friction coefficient first increased and then decreased as the test temperature increased. But the wear life changed in an opposite way with temperature. The wear mechanisms of the coatings at 300 ℃ were adhesive and abrasive wear. Conclusion The lubricating coatings could be used on the surface of LY12 treated by micro-arc oxidation. The tribological properties were excellent at 200 ℃ in air and at 300 ℃ in nitrogen.