{
  "spore": "profile",
  "id": "orthofabric",
  "spore_version": "0.2",
  "family": "woven-textiles",
  "name": "Orthofabric (EMU TMG outer layer: Gore-Tex / Nomex / Kevlar)",
  "role": "Outer shell fabric of the thermal micrometeoroid garment (TMG) on the EMU spacesuit",
  "category": "textiles",
  "type": "spacesuit-layers",
  "summary": "Orthofabric is the two-layer woven outer shell of the thermal micrometeoroid garment (TMG) on NASA's EMU spacesuit. It is made from Gore-Tex (expanded PTFE) face yarn over Nomex and Kevlar yarns. In NASA's lunar-simulant test, eight hours in a rotary dust tumbler cut the warp tensile load from 507 lbf to 302 lbf (-40%) and the warp elongation from 59% to 25%, per the Artemis suit-material paper (ICES-2025-56). NASA states that the fabric can withstand temperatures from -184.4 °C to 149 °C, and it predicts a mass loss of about 66% per year from atomic oxygen in the ionosphere. The data are thinner than for the other profiles: they come from NASA papers and a 1985 NASA test report, not from a manufacturer datasheet.\n",
  "best_for": "Reference baseline for low Earth orbit suit shells, where NASA reports no cuts, punctures, tears or cracking from cold exposure",
  "weakest_at": "Dust abrasion on the lunar surface: 40% loss of warp tensile load and 58% loss of warp elongation after eight hours in NASA's tumbler, plus a predicted 66% mass loss per year from atomic oxygen",
  "identity": {
    "formula": "Two-layer woven fabric: expanded PTFE (Gore-Tex) face yarn over Nomex (meta-aramid) and Kevlar (aramid) yarns",
    "designations": [
      {
        "system": "Trade name",
        "code": "Ortho Fabric",
        "source": "artemis-2025",
        "where": "Section B (Current State of the Art), paragraph beginning 'Ortho Fabric is a two-layer fabric'"
      }
    ],
    "source": "artemis-2025",
    "where": "Background and Section B (Current State of the Art), paragraph beginning 'Ortho Fabric is a two-layer fabric', which gives the yarn sizes as 400 denier Gore-Tex, 200 denier Nomex and 400 denier Kevlar. The Wikipedia TMG article also describes the outer layer as a blend of Gore-Tex, Kevlar and Nomex; the Kevlar chemical name is from the Wikipedia Kevlar article"
  },
  "tags": {
    "environments": [
      "low-earth-orbit",
      "lunar-day",
      "shadowed-craters"
    ],
    "stresses": [
      "atomic-oxygen",
      "dust-abrasion",
      "extreme-cold",
      "extreme-heat"
    ],
    "applications": [
      "habitats-and-suits"
    ]
  },
  "properties": [
    {
      "benchmark": "max_service_temp",
      "label": "Highest temperature the fabric can withstand",
      "value": 149,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "printed_as": "−300° to +300°F (−184.4° to 149°C)",
        "basis": "range NASA states the fabric can withstand"
      },
      "method": "Stated range in the Artemis suit-material paper, copied from its text (the paper prints Fahrenheit first)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Section B (Current State of the Art), paragraph after the description of Ortho Fabric",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "breaking_load_warp",
      "label": "Warp tensile load, as received",
      "value": 507,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lbf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "state": "as received, before tumbling",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)",
        "temperature": "ambient"
      },
      "method": "Average of warp specimens in the paper's tensile test (named as ASTM D5035); load in lbf as printed; strip width not stated",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Tensile Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "breaking_load_warp",
      "label": "Warp tensile load after tumbling",
      "value": 302,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lbf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Average of warp specimens in the paper's tensile test (named as ASTM D5035); load in lbf as printed; strip width not stated",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Tensile Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "elongation",
      "label": "Warp elongation, as received",
      "value": 59,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "%",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "state": "as received, before tumbling",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Average of warp specimens in the paper's tensile test (named as ASTM D5035)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Elong Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "elongation",
      "label": "Warp elongation after tumbling",
      "value": 25,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "%",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Average of warp specimens in the paper's tensile test (named as ASTM D5035)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Elong Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "tear_load_warp",
      "label": "Warp tear load, as received",
      "value": 229,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lbf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "state": "as received, before tumbling",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Average of warp specimens in the paper's tear test (named as ASTM D2261); load in lbf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Tear Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "tear_load_warp",
      "label": "Warp tear load after tumbling",
      "value": 120,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lbf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Average of warp specimens in the paper's tear test (named as ASTM D2261); load in lbf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Tear Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "cut_resistance",
      "label": "Cut resistance, as received",
      "value": 437,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "gf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "as received, before tumbling",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Cut test named in the paper as ASTM F2992; load in gf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Cut column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "cut_resistance",
      "label": "Cut resistance after tumbling",
      "value": 637,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "gf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Cut test named in the paper as ASTM F2992; load in gf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Cut column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "puncture_resistance",
      "label": "Puncture resistance, as received",
      "value": 38.8,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "ozf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "as received, before tumbling",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Puncture test named in the paper as ASTM F1342; load in ozf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Puncture column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "puncture_resistance",
      "label": "Puncture resistance after tumbling",
      "value": 84.8,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "ozf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant",
        "lab": "NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)"
      },
      "method": "Puncture test named in the paper as ASTM F1342; load in ozf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Puncture column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "thickness",
      "label": "Thickness, as received",
      "value": 0.024,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "in",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "as received, before tumbling"
      },
      "method": "Thickness as printed in Table 1 of the paper",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Thickness column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "thickness",
      "label": "Thickness after tumbling",
      "value": 0.02,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "in",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant"
      },
      "method": "Thickness as printed in Table 1 of the paper",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Thickness column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "areal_weight",
      "label": "Weight per unit area, as received",
      "value": 14.5,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "oz/yd2",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "as received, before tumbling"
      },
      "method": "Weight per unit area as printed in Table 1 (oz/yd2); not a canonical property name",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Weight column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "areal_weight",
      "label": "Weight per unit area after tumbling",
      "value": 15.49,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "oz/yd2",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant"
      },
      "method": "Weight per unit area as printed in Table 1 (oz/yd2); the paper attributes the 7% rise to dust retention",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Weight column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "air_permeability",
      "label": "Air permeability, as received",
      "value": 22.5,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "CFM@125 PA",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "as received, before tumbling"
      },
      "method": "Air permeability as printed in Table 1 (CFM at 125 PA)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Air Perm column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "air_permeability",
      "label": "Air permeability after tumbling",
      "value": 12.7,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "CFM@125 PA",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant"
      },
      "method": "Air permeability as printed in Table 1 (CFM at 125 PA)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Air Perm column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "absorptivity",
      "label": "Absorptivity, as received",
      "value": 0.2,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "-",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "as received, before tumbling"
      },
      "method": "Absorptivity as printed in Table 1 (dimensionless; the paper does not name the spectral range)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Absorptivity column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "absorptivity",
      "label": "Absorptivity after tumbling",
      "value": 0.362,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "-",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant"
      },
      "method": "Absorptivity as printed in Table 1 (dimensionless; the paper does not name the spectral range)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Absorptivity column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "emissivity",
      "label": "Emissivity, as received",
      "value": 0.837,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "-",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "as received, before tumbling"
      },
      "method": "Emissivity as printed in Table 1 (dimensionless; the paper does not name the test temperature)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Pre-Tumbler row, Emissivity column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "emissivity",
      "label": "Emissivity after tumbling",
      "value": 0.866,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "-",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "state": "after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant"
      },
      "method": "Emissivity as printed in Table 1 (dimensionless; the paper does not name the test temperature)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1, Post Tumbler row, Emissivity column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "dust_penetration",
      "label": "Lunar simulant passing through the fabric",
      "value": 164.84,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "g/m2",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "test": "8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant",
        "exposed_area": "13 in x 5 in",
        "penetrated_mass": "6.9 g"
      },
      "method": "Simulant collected from the back of the tumbled panel and standardised per square metre by NASA (Table 2)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 2 (post-tumbler dust results), Penetrated Dust (g/m2) column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "breaking_load_warp",
      "label": "Warp tensile load at 120 °C",
      "value": 295,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lbf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "temperature": "120 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "method": "Warp tensile load at elevated temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3); load in lbf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3, 120C row, Tensile Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "breaking_load_warp",
      "label": "Warp tensile load at 23 °C",
      "value": 468,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lbf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "temperature": "23 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "method": "Warp tensile load at ambient temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3); load in lbf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3, 23C row, Tensile Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "breaking_load_warp",
      "label": "Warp tensile load at -189 °C",
      "value": 437,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lbf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "temperature": "-189 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "method": "Warp tensile load at cryogenic temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3); load in lbf as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3, -189C row, Tensile Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "elongation",
      "label": "Warp elongation at 120 °C",
      "value": 38.8,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "%",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "temperature": "120 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "method": "Warp elongation at elevated temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3, 120C row, Elongation Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "elongation",
      "label": "Warp elongation at 23 °C",
      "value": 38.2,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "%",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "temperature": "23 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "method": "Warp elongation at ambient temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3, 23C row, Elongation Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "elongation",
      "label": "Warp elongation at -189 °C",
      "value": 15,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "%",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "direction": "warp",
        "temperature": "-189 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "method": "Warp elongation at cryogenic temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3, -189C row, Elongation Warp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "stiffness",
      "label": "Stiffness at -189 °C",
      "value": 14.3,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "lbf",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "-189 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "method": "Stiffness test as printed in Table 3 (lbf); the paper does not give a bending-test standard in the text read",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3, -189C row, Stiffness column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "flex_cycles_without_visible_damage",
      "label": "Flex cycles tested without visible damage",
      "value": 15000,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "cycles",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "-170 °C",
        "result": "no visible damage under microscopic examination"
      },
      "method": "Flexing at -170 °C, then microscopic examination, as stated in the paper's text on cryogenic flexibility; a number of cycles tested, not a measured fatigue life",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Text on cryogenic flexibility testing (after the cryo tensile results, before Figure 5)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
        "id": "ICES-2025-56",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
        "year": 2025,
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "atomic_oxygen_mass_loss_rate",
      "label": "Predicted mass loss from ionospheric atomic oxygen",
      "value": 66,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "% per year",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "altitude": "about 220 km (ionosphere)",
        "basis": "prediction scaled from earlier asher and flight test data",
        "reference": "% of the original orthofabric mass per year"
      },
      "method": "NASA prediction in the 1985 test report (TM-87149), scaled to ionospheric conditions; not a measured flight result",
      "status": "calculated",
      "source": "tm87149",
      "where": "Abstract, sentence beginning 'It is predicted that the orthofabric loses mass'",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "Mass loss of shuttle space suit orthofabric under simulated ionospheric atomic oxygen bombardment (NASA TM-87149)",
        "id": "NASA TM-87149; NTRS 19860004430",
        "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19860004430.pdf",
        "year": 1985,
        "kind": "report",
        "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
      }
    }
  ],
  "corrosion": [
    {
      "environment": "Ionospheric atomic oxygen at about 220 km (predicted)",
      "headline": "Predicted to lose about 66% of its mass per year, while the outer layer still looks largely unchanged.",
      "effect": "NASA scaled earlier asher and flight test data to ionospheric conditions and predicts that the orthofabric loses mass at about 66% of its original mass per year. The outer layer of the test samples shows few easily visible signs of degradation, so the authors conclude it could lose significant performance well before a year of exposure.",
      "rating": "severe",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "prediction from asher and flight test data, scaled to about 220 km",
        "sample": "two-layer orthofabric test samples"
      },
      "source": "tm87149",
      "where": "Abstract and conclusions"
    },
    {
      "environment": "Lunar simulant under an 8-hour rotary dust tumbler",
      "headline": "Tumbling removes 40% of warp tensile load and 58% of warp elongation.",
      "effect": "Tensile load fell by 40%, elongation by 58%, tear by 48% and thickness by 17%. The paper concludes that the fabric does not meet the required dust mitigation and abrasion resistance standards for lunar use.",
      "rating": "severe",
      "conditions": {
        "simulant": "NU-LHT-4M lunar simulant with ceramic tumbler media",
        "duration": "8 hours"
      },
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 1 and Section B (Need for Innovation)"
    },
    {
      "environment": "Elevated temperature, 120 °C",
      "headline": "Warp tensile load drops to 295 lbf at 120 °C, from 468 lbf at 23 °C.",
      "effect": "Cut resistance falls to 257 gf (from 437 gf) and puncture resistance to 27.2 ozf (from 59.2 ozf). Elongation rises slightly to 38.8% (from 38.2%).",
      "rating": "moderate",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "120 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3 and text on the 120 °C results"
    },
    {
      "environment": "Cryogenic, -189 °C",
      "headline": "Warp elongation drops to 15% and stiffness rises to 14.3 lbf.",
      "effect": "Puncture resistance rises to 230.4 ozf and cut resistance to 808 gf. The paper describes significant embrittlement at this temperature, but its post-test analysis found no damage from bending.",
      "rating": "moderate",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "-189 °C",
        "lab": "PMIC"
      },
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Table 3 and text on the -189 °C results"
    }
  ],
  "risks": {
    "hazards": [
      {
        "text": "The Kevlar para-aramid SDS (DuPont, version 8.1, revision date 03/23/2023) gives the product hazard category as 'Combustible dust' with the signal word 'Warning'. It says: 'If small particles are generated during further processing, handling or by other means, may form combustible dust concentrations in air.' No pictogram is required.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "kevlar-sds",
        "where": "Section 2 (Hazards identification): Product hazard category, Label content and Hazardous warnings"
      },
      {
        "text": "In a fire, the Kevlar SDS lists 'Hazardous decomposition products formed under fire conditions.' Section 10 names carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrogen cyanide (gaseous), ammonia, anhydrous, aldehydes and hydrocarbons.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "kevlar-sds",
        "where": "Section 5 (Firefighting measures): Specific hazards; Section 10 (Stability and reactivity): Hazardous decomposition products"
      },
      {
        "text": "The Daikin POLYFLON PTFE M-532 safety data sheet (version 1, printed 20.01.2011) states: 'The substance is not classified according to the CLP regulation.' Its hazard pictograms, signal word and hazard statements are void. This is a PTFE grade, not the Gore-Tex expanded PTFE in the face yarn.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "ptfe-sds-daikin",
        "where": "Section 2 (Hazards identification): Classification according to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 and Label elements"
      },
      {
        "text": "The same Daikin SDS says that vapours and fumes 'liberated during hot processing (above 260 ℃)' may cause flu-like symptoms (chills, fever and, sometimes, cough) that may not occur until several hours after exposure and 'typically pass within about 36 to 48 hours'.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "ptfe-sds-daikin",
        "where": "Section 4 (First aid measures): Information for doctor; Section 10 (Stability and reactivity) notes the same fume risk when overheated"
      }
    ],
    "failure_risks": [
      {
        "mode": "Dust abrasion of the outer face",
        "trigger": "8 hours in NASA's rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M lunar simulant and ceramic tumbler media",
        "consequence": "Warp tensile load fell from 507 lbf to 302 lbf (-40%), warp elongation from 59% to 25% (-58%) and tear load from 229 lbf to 120 lbf (-48%).",
        "severity": "high",
        "source": "artemis-2025",
        "where": "Table 1 (pre and post tumbler results) and the text on tumbler results"
      },
      {
        "mode": "Dust penetration through the weave",
        "trigger": "The same 8-hour tumbler test, with simulant collected from the back of the panel",
        "consequence": "About 6.9 g of simulant passed through the tumbled panel, standardised to 164.84 g/m2. NASA says the weave openings can be as large as 70 microns.",
        "severity": "high",
        "source": "artemis-2025",
        "where": "Table 2 (post-tumbler dust results) and Section B"
      },
      {
        "mode": "Stiffening and embrittlement in the cold",
        "trigger": "Warp testing at -189 °C (PMIC)",
        "consequence": "Elongation fell to 15% (from 38.2% at 23 °C) and stiffness rose to 14.3 lbf (from 3.08 lbf). No damage from bending was found after the test.",
        "severity": "moderate",
        "source": "artemis-2025",
        "where": "Table 3 and the text on the -189 °C results"
      },
      {
        "mode": "Strength loss when hot",
        "trigger": "Warp testing at 120 °C (PMIC)",
        "consequence": "Warp tensile load fell to 295 lbf (from 468 lbf at 23 °C) and cut resistance to 257 gf (from 437 gf).",
        "severity": "moderate",
        "source": "artemis-2025",
        "where": "Table 3 and the text on the 120 °C results"
      },
      {
        "mode": "Atomic oxygen erosion in low Earth orbit",
        "trigger": "Ionospheric atomic oxygen at about 220 km (predicted)",
        "consequence": "NASA predicts about 66% mass loss per year. The outer layer shows few visible signs of degradation, so visual inspection may miss the loss.",
        "severity": "high",
        "source": "tm87149",
        "where": "Abstract and conclusions"
      }
    ],
    "side_effects": [
      {
        "text": "Weight rose by 7% after the tumbler test, which NASA attributes most likely to dust retained in the fabric.",
        "affects": "Mass and feel of the suit shell",
        "source": "artemis-2025",
        "where": "Table 1 (weight, % difference) and the text on tumbler results"
      }
    ],
    "handling": [],
    "mitigations": []
  },
  "uses": [
    {
      "application": "habitats-and-suits",
      "device": "EMU spacesuit thermal micrometeoroid garment (TMG), outer shell",
      "example": "NASA's Artemis suit-material paper says the EMU is protected by a TMG whose outer-shell layer is Ortho Fabric, which has performed well in low Earth orbit with no reported cuts, punctures, tears or cracking from cold exposure.",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Background, paragraph on the EMU and Ortho Fabric"
    },
    {
      "application": "habitats-and-suits",
      "device": "Lunar surface EVA suit shell (baseline for a replacement fabric)",
      "example": "NASA chose Ortho Fabric as the baseline for its replacement lunar fabric, and the paper concludes that it will not meet the required dust mitigation and abrasion resistance standards for the Moon.",
      "source": "artemis-2025",
      "where": "Introduction, paragraph on the lunar requirements; Section B (Current State of the Art)"
    }
  ],
  "supply": [
    {
      "subject": "Fluorine feedstock for the expanded PTFE face yarn (fluorspar, calcium fluoride)",
      "producers": [
        {
          "country": "China",
          "share_percent": 60,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "Mexico",
          "share_percent": 15,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "Mongolia",
          "share_percent": 15,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "South Africa",
          "share_percent": 4.1,
          "year": 2025
        }
      ],
      "critical_lists": [],
      "substitutes": [],
      "source": "usgs-mcs2026-fluorspar",
      "where": "World Mine Production and Reserves table, 2025 (e). Shares are calculated by Space Mushroom as country mine production divided by the printed world total of 10,000 thousand t (China 6,000; Mexico 1,500; Mongolia 1,500; South Africa 410). The listed rows sum to 10,235 thousand t, so the shares are approximate. Context from Domestic Production and Use: 'Aqueous HF is the primary feedstock for the manufacture of virtually all fluorine-bearing chemicals, particularly refrigerants and fluoropolymers.'"
    },
    {
      "subject": "Para-aramid (Kevlar) and meta-aramid (Nomex) fibre",
      "producers": [],
      "critical_lists": [],
      "substitutes": [],
      "source": "kevlar-sds",
      "where": "Kevlar SDS, Section 1: Manufacturer/Supplier DuPont, Wilmington, Delaware. No production volume or country share for either aramid was found in the sources read."
    }
  ],
  "media": [],
  "documents": [
    {
      "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), NASA",
      "type": "paper",
      "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
      "year": 2025
    },
    {
      "title": "Mass loss of shuttle space suit orthofabric under simulated ionospheric atomic oxygen bombardment (NASA TM-87149)",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19860004430.pdf",
      "year": 1985
    },
    {
      "title": "KEVLAR Para-aramid Safety Data Sheet, Version 8.1 (DuPont)",
      "type": "sds",
      "url": "https://media.easycomposites.co.uk/datasheets/Dupont-Kevlar-SDS-Ver8_1-23Mar2023.pdf",
      "year": 2024
    },
    {
      "title": "Safety data sheet, POLYFLON PTFE M-532 (Daikin), version 1",
      "type": "sds",
      "url": "https://www.daikinchemicals.com/library/pb_common/pdf/sds/Fluoropolymer/PTFE-M/sds-m-532-E_20110120.pdf",
      "year": 2011
    },
    {
      "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Fluorspar (USGS)",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-fluorspar.pdf",
      "year": 2026
    }
  ],
  "gaps": [
    "NASA's lowest rated temperature (-184.4 °C) is printed with a Unicode minus sign, which verify-values cannot match, so it is not kept as a property. It is quoted as NASA's stated range in the summary and story.",
    "No manufacturer datasheet with numbers was found. The Arclin Kevlar and Nomex product pages are marketing pages with no density, melting, decomposition or limiting-oxygen-index values.",
    "Fibre density, melting point, decomposition temperature and limiting oxygen index for Gore-Tex (expanded PTFE), Nomex and Kevlar were not found on any page read in this run.",
    "No UV, vacuum, radiation or thermal-vacuum result for Ortho Fabric was printed in the sources read. The paper says the Gore-Tex face is there for UV resistance but gives no test value.",
    "Flammability was a selection criterion (30 percent O2 at 10.2 psi), but no measured flammability result for Ortho Fabric was printed.",
    "Breaking and tear loads are printed in lbf for strips of unstated width, so no tensile stress in MPa is given.",
    "The as-received 23 °C warp tensile load differs between labs: 507 lbf at AML (Table 1) and 468 lbf at PMIC (Table 3). Both are kept, labelled by lab.",
    "Table 1 comes from one NASA test series on one fabric lot. No second-source or flight-exposed sample was found.",
    "No safety data sheet for Orthofabric itself was found. Hazards use the DuPont Kevlar SDS and a 2011 Daikin PTFE SDS (a PTFE grade, not the Gore-Tex expanded PTFE in the face yarn). No Nomex SDS was read, and the PubChem GHS page could not be opened in this run.",
    "No handling, cleaning or storage guidance was found in the sources read.",
    "Supply: fluorspar shares (the PTFE feedstock) come from USGS 2025 world mine production. No production volume or country share was found for Kevlar or Nomex fibre, and no critical-mineral listing for fluorspar was in the text read. The paper names only the weaver, Fabric Development Inc. in Quakertown, PA.",
    "The Wikipedia TMG article gives a rounded temperature range that differs slightly from NASA's printed range. NASA's printed range is used.",
    "The 66% per year atomic-oxygen figure is a prediction. No measured flight mass loss for this fabric was found.",
    "The 7% weight gain after tumbling is attributed to dust retention by NASA. Dust retention was not measured separately.",
    "The University of Illinois liquid-helium tensile results (Figure 5) are not included, because the figure is not machine-readable and the text values are not in the table.",
    "The 70-micron interstice size in the paper is cited from another NASA paper and was not measured in the sources read."
  ],
  "story": {
    "why": "Orthofabric is the outer shell of the thermal micrometeoroid garment (TMG) on NASA's EMU spacesuit, used for spacewalks in low Earth orbit. The shell has to resist micrometeoroids, abrasion and extreme temperature while keeping the suit flexible. NASA is replacing it for lunar spacewalks, because its tests show that lunar dust removes much of its strength. Orthofabric is therefore best read as the baseline that a new lunar fabric has to beat.",
    "uses": [
      {
        "where": "EMU spacesuit in low Earth orbit",
        "line": "NASA's Artemis paper says the EMU is protected by a thermal micrometeoroid garment whose outer-shell layer is Ortho Fabric. The fabric has performed well in low Earth orbit, with no reported cuts, punctures, tears or cracking from cold exposure."
      },
      {
        "where": "Lunar surface baseline",
        "line": "NASA chose Ortho Fabric as the baseline for its replacement lunar fabric. The paper concludes that it will not meet the required dust mitigation and abrasion resistance standards for the Moon. Its results set the minimum targets the new fabric must meet."
      }
    ],
    "can_do": [
      {
        "label": "Heat tolerance",
        "line": "NASA states that the fabric can withstand temperatures up to 149 °C, which is +300 °F. Strength falls well before that limit: warp tensile load is 295 lbf at 120 °C.",
        "scope": "material",
        "value": "149 °C"
      },
      {
        "label": "Cold tolerance",
        "line": "NASA states that the fabric can withstand temperatures down to -184.4 °C. In the PMIC test at -189 °C its warp elongation fell to 15%, so it stays usable but becomes stiff.",
        "scope": "material",
        "value": "-184.4 °C"
      },
      {
        "label": "Dust abrasion",
        "line": "After 8 hours in the lunar-simulant tumbler, warp tensile load was 302 lbf, against 507 lbf before. Tear load was 120 lbf, against 229 lbf. The fabric survived the test, with measurable degradation.",
        "scope": "material",
        "value": "302 lbf warp tensile load after tumbling"
      },
      {
        "label": "Atomic oxygen",
        "line": "A 1985 NASA prediction, scaled from asher and flight tests, is that the fabric loses about 66% of its mass per year in the ionosphere at about 220 km. This is a prediction, not a measured flight result.",
        "scope": "material",
        "value": "66% mass loss per year (predicted)"
      }
    ],
    "compare": "Orthofabric is a woven textile shell, not a bulk polymer, so it is best compared with the Kevlar, Nomex and PTFE profiles in this collection, which describe its three fibre types on their own. NASA reports that Orthofabric survived the eight-hour tumbler test, which Beta cloth, the Apollo-era shell, did not. Beta cloth was therefore dropped as a comparison. The table compares Orthofabric with the other textiles on the same properties.",
    "compare_rows": [
      {
        "label": "Lowest rated temperature",
        "benchmark": "min_service_temp",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Elongation after dust tumbling",
        "benchmark": "elongation",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Warp tensile load after dust tumbling",
        "benchmark": "breaking_load_warp",
        "scope": "material"
      }
    ],
    "handling": [
      "No handling or storage guidance for Orthofabric was found in the sources we hold.",
      "Once fabric samples reach NASA's lab, they are conditioned to a standard before baseline testing."
    ],
    "good_for": [
      "Low Earth orbit suit shells. NASA reports no cuts, punctures, tears or cracking from cold exposure in its service history.",
      "Baseline data for dust-abrasion and temperature tests. Its results set the minimum targets for the lunar replacement fabric."
    ],
    "watch_out": [
      "Dust abrasion. After 8 hours in the tumbler, warp tensile load fell 40%, warp elongation 58% and tear load 48%.",
      "Atomic oxygen. NASA's 1985 prediction is about 66% mass loss per year in the ionosphere.",
      "Cold stiffness. At -189 °C, warp elongation was 15%."
    ],
    "verdict": "Orthofabric proved durable in low Earth orbit. NASA's dust tests show that it does not meet the abrasion and dust standards for lunar surface work, so it should be read as the reference that a replacement must beat, not as a lunar-rated fabric.",
    "recipe": {
      "line": "Ortho Fabric is a two-layer woven fabric made by Fabric Development Inc. in Quakertown, PA, on a six-harness loom in a split-basket pattern with a fancy draw. The outer face is Gore-Tex (expanded PTFE) slit-film yarn, and the inner face is Nomex and Kevlar yarn, with Kevlar in a ripstop pattern.",
      "parts": [
        {
          "name": "Gore-Tex (expanded PTFE)",
          "role": "Outer face. Gives abrasion resistance from its low friction, UV resistance, and a bleached white surface that reflects most of the Sun's thermal radiation."
        },
        {
          "name": "Nomex (meta-aramid)",
          "role": "Inner face. Adds strength and heat resistance."
        },
        {
          "name": "Kevlar (aramid)",
          "role": "Inner face in a ripstop pattern. Adds tear resistance."
        }
      ]
    },
    "risk_groups": [
      {
        "title": "For the suit wearer",
        "lead": "The shell keeps dust and micrometeoroids away from the pressure garment. Its weak point is dust abrasion, which removed much of its strength in NASA's tests.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "Dust abrasion",
            "line": "After 8 hours in NASA's rotary tumbler with lunar simulant, warp tensile load fell from 507 lbf to 302 lbf (-40%). Warp elongation fell from 59% to 25% (-58%), and tear load from 229 lbf to 120 lbf (-48%)."
          },
          {
            "label": "Dust penetration",
            "line": "About 6.9 g of simulant passed through the tumbled panel. NASA standardised this to 164.84 g/m2."
          },
          {
            "label": "Visible wear",
            "line": "NASA's post-test images show the Gore-Tex fibres tufting and discolouring under the dust."
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "title": "In hot and cold conditions",
        "lead": "NASA tested the fabric at 120 °C, 23 °C and -189 °C. Its strength falls when hot, and its stiffness rises when cold.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "Hot",
            "line": "At 120 °C, warp tensile load was 295 lbf, against 468 lbf at 23 °C. Cut resistance was 257 gf, against 437 gf."
          },
          {
            "label": "Cold",
            "line": "At -189 °C, warp elongation fell to 15%, against 38.2% at 23 °C. Stiffness rose to 14.3 lbf, against 3.08 lbf. NASA found no damage from bending in the test fixture."
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "title": "In low Earth orbit",
        "lead": "The fabric has a long service record in low Earth orbit, and atomic oxygen is the main hazard predicted there.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "Service record",
            "line": "To the knowledge of NASA's authors, no cuts, punctures, tears or cracking from cold exposure have been reported in the fabric's use."
          },
          {
            "label": "Atomic oxygen",
            "line": "A 1985 NASA test report predicts that the fabric loses about 66% of its mass per year in the ionosphere, at about 220 km. The outer layer still shows few visible signs of degradation, so inspection alone can miss the loss."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "updated": "2026-11-01",
  "review": {
    "status": "draft",
    "method": "assistant",
    "checked_values": 31,
    "unreachable": 0,
    "caveats": 1,
    "note": "Written by an AI assistant on 2026-11-01 from NASA and Wikipedia pages read in this run. Values come from one NASA paper (Table 1 and Table 3) and one 1985 NASA test report; no manufacturer datasheet was reachable."
  },
  "sources": {
    "artemis-2025": {
      "title": "Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems",
      "id": "ICES-2025-56",
      "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20250003726/downloads/ICES-2025-56%20Artemis%20Suit%20Material%20Overview%20FINAL.pdf",
      "year": 2025,
      "kind": "paper",
      "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
    },
    "tm87149": {
      "title": "Mass loss of shuttle space suit orthofabric under simulated ionospheric atomic oxygen bombardment (NASA TM-87149)",
      "id": "NASA TM-87149; NTRS 19860004430",
      "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19860004430.pdf",
      "year": 1985,
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "NASA document; no licence printed in the text read"
    },
    "wiki-tmg": {
      "title": "Thermal micrometeoroid garment (Wikipedia)",
      "id": "Wikipedia article, last edited 6 February 2024",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_Micrometeoroid_Garment",
      "year": 2024,
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia text)"
    },
    "wiki-kevlar": {
      "title": "Kevlar (Wikipedia)",
      "id": "Wikipedia article, Kevlar",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevlar",
      "year": 2024,
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia text)"
    },
    "arclin-kevlar": {
      "title": "Kevlar product page, Arclin (former DuPont brand)",
      "id": "Arclin Kevlar product page",
      "url": "https://www.arclin.com/kevlar/",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "Manufacturer web page (cited, not reproduced)"
    },
    "arclin-nomex": {
      "title": "Nomex product page, Arclin (former DuPont brand)",
      "id": "Arclin Nomex product page",
      "url": "https://www.arclin.com/nomex/",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "Manufacturer web page (cited, not reproduced)"
    },
    "kevlar-sds": {
      "title": "KEVLAR Para-aramid Safety Data Sheet, Version 8.1 (DuPont)",
      "id": "Ref. 150000002634; issue date 09/09/2024; revision date 03/23/2023",
      "url": "https://media.easycomposites.co.uk/datasheets/Dupont-Kevlar-SDS-Ver8_1-23Mar2023.pdf",
      "year": 2024,
      "kind": "datasheet",
      "license": "Manufacturer safety data sheet (cited, not reproduced)"
    },
    "ptfe-sds-daikin": {
      "title": "Safety data sheet, POLYFLON PTFE M-532 (Daikin), version 1",
      "id": "Printed 20.01.2011, version number 1",
      "url": "https://www.daikinchemicals.com/library/pb_common/pdf/sds/Fluoropolymer/PTFE-M/sds-m-532-E_20110120.pdf",
      "year": 2011,
      "kind": "datasheet",
      "license": "Manufacturer safety data sheet (cited, not reproduced)"
    },
    "usgs-mcs2026-fluorspar": {
      "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Fluorspar (USGS)",
      "id": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, fluorspar",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-fluorspar.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "US government work; no licence printed in the text read"
    }
  },
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "url": "https://spacemushroom.com/profiles/orthofabric/"
}