Nov 21 2013
DUNMORE Corporation is protecting mission critical payload instruments carried aboard the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) space mission and the spacecraft itself. DUNMORE's multi-layer insulation (MLI) materials shield onboard electronics from extreme temperatures as the spacecraft travels ten months to an orbit around Mars.
Concept of MAVEN Spacecraft in Martian orbit. The spacecraft's Thermal Protection System (TPS) can be seen it this rendering. The gold material surrounding the spacecraft is multi-layer insulation or MLI and consists of lightweight reflective films assembled in many thin layers. (PRNewsFoto/DUNMORE Corporation, NASA's Goddard Spa)
MAVEN is the latest in just under fifty attempts to visit to the red planet since the early sixties. Our fascination with our celestial neighbor can partially be contributed to proximity but more importantly; it's located in the Goldilocks Zone and like Earth, can support liquid water. This theory was recently confirmed when Curiosity's Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer (TEGA) identified water in a sample taken by the rover. The MAVEN mission will test the theory that Mars' atmosphere eroded over time leaving the planet unable to maintain liquid water.
In order to do this, MAVEN will use a remote sensing package to sniff out the existing Martian atmosphere. Protecting this and other instrumentation is DUNMORE's multilayer insulation films. These materials consist of lightweight reflective films assembled in many thin layers. This construction provides thermal protection from the extreme temperature changes that the craft will experience for the mission duration.
DUNMORE is a major supplier of high-performance films for aerospace. DUNMORE materials are at work on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the International Space Station (ISS) and multiple NASA missions including NuSTAR and LADEE. DUNMORE is also supplying MLI materials to the Mars Science Laboratory "Curiosity" mission.
About DUNMORE
DUNMORE Corporation is a global supplier of engineered coated and laminated films. DUNMORE offers film conversion services such as coating, metallizing and laminating along with contract film manufacturing. DUNMORE produces coated film, metallized film and laminating film substrates for the aerospace, photovoltaic, graphic arts, packaging, insulation, surfacing and fashion industries. DUNMORE is privately held, ISO 9001:2008 and OSHA VPP Star certified. For complete information on DUNMORE's products, services and industries served, please visit DUNMORE's website http://www.dunmore.com/.
Source: http://www.dunmore.com/