LinkNotes: New Thin Skin Protects Micro Spacecraft

2008-08-20

New Thin Skin Protects Micro Spacecraft

Fleets of miniature spacecraft may now be closer to liftoff. Scientists have invented a new, razor thin temperature-regulating film that can protect craft against the extreme heat and intense cold found in outer space.

Micro Spacecraft

Clipped from: Micro-spacecraft

Temperature Control Problem

Clipped from: SPACE.com -- New Thin Skin to Protect Tiny Spacecraft

Developing new kinds of spacecraft is challenging.

Outer space is an extraordinarily hazardous environment, and spacecraft can be frying in harsh sunlight one moment and freezing in pitch black cold in another.

"It may sound very trivial, but controlling the temperature of a spacecraft is absolutely crucial. Currently, there is no way to do it for very small spacecraft," Chandrasekhar said.

The Solution

Clipped from: 236th ACS National Meeting

Tuesday, Aug. 19 (continued)
3:00 p.m. EDT — Embargoed for Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 10:30 a.m. EDT
Key advance toward “micro-spacecraft”
Fleets of inexpensive, pint-sized spacecraft are one giant leap closer to lift off. Researchers describe a new, razor thin temperature-regulating film that brings this sci-fi vision of “micro-spacecraft” weighing barely 50 pounds and 10-pound “nano-spacecraft” closer to reality. See corresponding news release, abstract, and nontechnical summary for PMSE 146.

Prasanna Chandrasekhar, Ph.D., is a researcher with the Ashwin-Ushas Corporation in New Jersey and worked with NASA colleagues.

Thin Film

Clipped from: Thin Film

The thin film is able to change color from light to dark based on its exposure to harsh sunlight or extreme darkness.

News

Clipped from: BBC NEWS | Technology | A thermostat for mini-spacecraft

A thermostat for mini-spacecraft
Researchers in the US are showcasing a new approach to temperature control for spacecraft.
The technique is a welcome advance for miniature spacecraft, for which temperature regulation technologies employed in larger craft cannot be adapted.
The scheme uses razor-thin films that can adjust the amount of heat radiated by spacecraft.
The films are robust, inexpensive, and consume very little power.

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