Materials/Fabrics and textiles
Fabrics and textiles
textilesWhat this is
Beta cloth, spacesuit layers, Vectran and other fabrics.
Suits and inflatable structures need flexible materials that resist abrasion, flame and ultraviolet light.
Types
Pick a type to see its materials.
| Type | Materials | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Beta cloth | none yet | — |
| Spacesuit layers | none yet | — |
| Vectran | none yet | — |
| Nomex fabric | 1 | — |
What matters
The measurements we use to compare fabrics and textiles. Each one has a standard test and a direction: is higher or lower better?
| Measurement | Better when | How it is tested |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic oxygen erosionHow fast low-orbit oxygen eats the surface | lower | Flight (MISSE); ground ASTM E2089 |
| Outgassing, total mass loss (TML)Mass lost in vacuum that can fog optics | lower | ASTM E595 |
| Outgassing, condensable (CVCM)Vapor that recondenses on cold surfaces | lower | ASTM E595 |
| Solar absorptance (α)How much sunlight it absorbs | depends on the use | ASTM E903 |
| Thermal emittance (ε)How well it radiates heat away | depends on the use | ASTM E408 |
| Flammability (crewed vehicles)Whether a flame spreads upward | higher | NASA-STD-6001 Test 1 |
| Darkening under UV and particles (Δα)How much its sunlight absorption rises over the mission | lower | ECSS-Q-ST-70-06 |
| Toxic offgassing (crewed vehicles)Harmful gases released into cabin air | lower | NASA-STD-6001 Test 7 |