DUNMORE’s multi-layer insulation (MLI) products will be used to protect NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, which will explore extremes of space weather such as magnetic interference, radiation and temperature and send the collected data to researchers on Earth.
Since the probes will be studying extreme conditions that can breakdown spacecraft like themselves, they require better protection when compared to earlier NASA missions. For this purpose, DUNMORE created an extra-durable insulation film featuring a special substrate and a germanium metal coating to provide protection to the probes during their mission.
DUNMORE MLI materials cover exteriors and instruments of the two probes. The MLI layers covered on the surface help in reflecting radiation and heat and provide protection from electrostatic charge buildup. Germanium demonstrates the exact combination of heat reflection and absorption properties to maintain the temperature range within the probes. The DUNMORE MLI materials also enable radio frequency waves to reach devices within the crafts, in which the waves are get reflected away from the devices by a more traditional insulation system.
The Radiation Belt Storm Probes will provide insights into the impact of space weather on GPS service, communications systems, and power grids. The mission, second in NASA's ‘Living With a Star’ program, will also help scientists to know about basic radiation and particle acceleration processes across the universe. The first mission, the Solar Dynamics Observatory revolving the earth to explore the sun also features DUNMORE MLI materials.
John Jordon, Vice President at DUNMORE, stated that although the Radiation Belt Storm Probes will face extreme conditions, they had to fulfill the same weight-performance ratio like every other NASA mission. With over four decades of thin-film know-how, the company was able to create MLI materials with qualities required to provide protection to the probes without increasing the weight.
Source: http://www.dunmore.com
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