Orthofabric (EMU TMG outer layer: Gore-Tex / Nomex / Kevlar)
Two-layer woven fabric: expanded PTFE (Gore-Tex) face yarn over Nomex (meta-aramid) and Kevlar (aramid) yarns
Also known as Ortho Fabric
Orthofabric is the two-layer woven outer shell of the thermal micrometeoroid garment (TMG) on NASA's EMU spacesuit.
Evidence level
2 of 5
Lab-measured
- 0Predicted only. No one has made it, or no measurement exists.
- 1Calculated. Only calculated or predicted values from sources.
- 2Lab-measured. Measured properties with their conditions stated.
- 3Space-relevant tests. Measured in conditions relevant to space, such as vacuum or atomic oxygen.
- 4Ground-qualified. Qualified for an application on the ground.
- 5Flown or field-proven. Flight or field results exist.
Heat tolerance
149 °C
Cold tolerance
-184.4 °C
Dust abrasion
302 lbf warp tensile load after tumbling
Atomic oxygen
66% mass loss per year (predicted)
Recipe, share of the weight
- not statedGore-Tex (expanded PTFE)
- not statedNomex (meta-aramid)
- not statedKevlar (aramid)
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
Risk at a glance
- People No data. No hazard data recorded
- If it fails High. Dust abrasion of the outer face
- Corrosion Severe. Predicted to lose about 66% of its mass per year, while the outer layer still looks largely unchanged.
Quick facts: Orthofabric (EMU TMG outer layer: Gore-Tex / Nomex / Kevlar)
| Property | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum service temperature | 149 °C | 1 sourced value |
What is the maximum service temperature of Orthofabric?
Orthofabric has a maximum service temperature of 149 °C. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.
What is Orthofabric used for?
Uses recorded in the sources include EMU spacesuit thermal micrometeoroid garment (TMG), outer shell; Lunar surface EVA suit shell (baseline for a replacement fabric).
Why it exists
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.
Where it's used
EMU spacesuit in low Earth orbit
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.
Lunar surface baseline
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.
Recipe
Two-layer woven fabric: expanded PTFE (Gore-Tex) face yarn over Nomex (meta-aramid) and Kevlar (aramid) yarns
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.
| Ingredient | Share of the weight | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Gore-Tex (expanded PTFE) | not stated | 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. |
| Nomex (meta-aramid) | not stated | Inner face. Adds strength and heat resistance. |
| Kevlar (aramid) | not stated | Inner face in a ripstop pattern. Adds tear resistance. |
Weight shares are as printed in the sources.
What it can do
Heat tolerance
149 °C
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.
Cold tolerance
-184.4 °C
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.
Dust abrasion
302 lbf warp tensile load after tumbling
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.
Atomic oxygen
66% mass loss per year (predicted)
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.
How it compares
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.
The same measurements for each material, so you can compare them. Each row names the key condition under the value; the full conditions and methods are in the numbered notes under Technical details.
| Measurement | Orthofabric (EMU TMG outer layer: Gore-Tex / Nomex / Kevlar) |
|---|---|
| Lifetime and stability | |
| Flex cycles tested without visible damage | 15000 cycles28 |
| Physical and electrical | |
| Thickness, as receivedThickness as printed in Table 1 of the paper | 0.024 in |
| Thickness after tumblingThickness as printed in Table 1 of the paper | 0.02 in |
| Other measurements | |
| Highest temperature the fabric can withstand | 149 °C1 |
| Warp tensile load, as received | 507 lbf2 |
| Warp tensile load after tumbling | 302 lbf3 |
| Warp elongation, as received | 59 %4 |
| Warp elongation after tumbling | 25 %5 |
| Warp tear load, as received | 229 lbf6 |
| Warp tear load after tumbling | 120 lbf7 |
| Cut resistance, as received | 437 gf8 |
| Cut resistance after tumbling | 637 gf9 |
| Puncture resistance, as received | 38.8 ozf10 |
| Puncture resistance after tumbling | 84.8 ozf11 |
| Weight per unit area, as received | 14.5 oz/yd212 |
| Weight per unit area after tumbling | 15.49 oz/yd213 |
| Air permeability, as received | 22.5 CFM@125 PA14 |
| Air permeability after tumbling | 12.7 CFM@125 PA15 |
| Absorptivity, as received | 0.2 -16 |
| Absorptivity after tumbling | 0.362 -17 |
| Emissivity, as received | 0.837 -18 |
| Emissivity after tumbling | 0.866 -19 |
| Lunar simulant passing through the fabric | 164.8 g/m220 |
| Warp tensile load at 120 °C | 295 lbf21 |
| Warp tensile load at 23 °C | 468 lbf22 |
| Warp tensile load at -189 °C | 437 lbf23 |
| Warp elongation at 120 °C | 38.8 %24 |
| Warp elongation at 23 °C | 38.2 %25 |
| Warp elongation at -189 °C | 15 %26 |
| Stiffness at -189 °C | 14.3 lbf27 |
| Predicted mass loss from ionospheric atomic oxygen | 66 % per year29 |
Why choose it, and why not
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 for
- 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%.
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.
Technical details
For scientists and researchers. Everything above comes from the record below: every number with its method, its conditions and its source.
Other names and standards
The same grade under other systems, as datasheets and standards print them. Each code was checked against the page it comes from.
| System | Codes |
|---|---|
| Trade name | Ortho Fabric |
Notes
The method, full conditions and any caveat for the numbered rows above.
| # | Measurement | Method | Conditions | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highest temperature the fabric can withstand | Stated range in the Artemis suit-material paper, copied from its text (the paper prints Fahrenheit first) | printed as −300° to +300°F (−184.4° to 149°C)basis range NASA states the fabric can withstand | — |
| 2 | Warp tensile load, as received | Average of warp specimens in the paper's tensile test (named as ASTM D5035); load in lbf as printed; strip width not stated | direction warpstate as received, before tumblinglab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML)temperature ambient | — |
| 3 | Warp tensile load after tumbling | Average of warp specimens in the paper's tensile test (named as ASTM D5035); load in lbf as printed; strip width not stated | direction warpstate after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulantlab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 4 | Warp elongation, as received | Average of warp specimens in the paper's tensile test (named as ASTM D5035) | direction warpstate as received, before tumblinglab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 5 | Warp elongation after tumbling | Average of warp specimens in the paper's tensile test (named as ASTM D5035) | direction warpstate after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulantlab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 6 | Warp tear load, as received | Average of warp specimens in the paper's tear test (named as ASTM D2261); load in lbf as printed | direction warpstate as received, before tumblinglab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 7 | Warp tear load after tumbling | Average of warp specimens in the paper's tear test (named as ASTM D2261); load in lbf as printed | direction warpstate after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulantlab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 8 | Cut resistance, as received | Cut test named in the paper as ASTM F2992; load in gf as printed | state as received, before tumblinglab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 9 | Cut resistance after tumbling | Cut test named in the paper as ASTM F2992; load in gf as printed | state after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulantlab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 10 | Puncture resistance, as received | Puncture test named in the paper as ASTM F1342; load in ozf as printed | state as received, before tumblinglab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 11 | Puncture resistance after tumbling | Puncture test named in the paper as ASTM F1342; load in ozf as printed | state after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulantlab NASA JSC Advanced Materials Lab (AML) | — |
| 12 | Weight per unit area, as received | Weight per unit area as printed in Table 1 (oz/yd2); not a canonical property name | state as received, before tumbling | — |
| 13 | Weight per unit area after tumbling | Weight per unit area as printed in Table 1 (oz/yd2); the paper attributes the 7% rise to dust retention | state after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant | — |
| 14 | Air permeability, as received | Air permeability as printed in Table 1 (CFM at 125 PA) | state as received, before tumbling | — |
| 15 | Air permeability after tumbling | Air permeability as printed in Table 1 (CFM at 125 PA) | state after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant | — |
| 16 | Absorptivity, as received | Absorptivity as printed in Table 1 (dimensionless; the paper does not name the spectral range) | state as received, before tumbling | — |
| 17 | Absorptivity after tumbling | Absorptivity as printed in Table 1 (dimensionless; the paper does not name the spectral range) | state after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant | — |
| 18 | Emissivity, as received | Emissivity as printed in Table 1 (dimensionless; the paper does not name the test temperature) | state as received, before tumbling | — |
| 19 | Emissivity after tumbling | Emissivity as printed in Table 1 (dimensionless; the paper does not name the test temperature) | state after 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulant | — |
| 20 | Lunar simulant passing through the fabric | Simulant collected from the back of the tumbled panel and standardised per square metre by NASA (Table 2) | test 8 hours in the rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M simulantexposed area 13 in x 5 inpenetrated mass 6.9 g | — |
| 21 | Warp tensile load at 120 °C | Warp tensile load at elevated temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3); load in lbf as printed | direction warptemperature 120 °Clab PMIC | — |
| 22 | Warp tensile load at 23 °C | Warp tensile load at ambient temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3); load in lbf as printed | direction warptemperature 23 °Clab PMIC | — |
| 23 | Warp tensile load at -189 °C | Warp tensile load at cryogenic temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3); load in lbf as printed | direction warptemperature -189 °Clab PMIC | — |
| 24 | Warp elongation at 120 °C | Warp elongation at elevated temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3) | direction warptemperature 120 °Clab PMIC | — |
| 25 | Warp elongation at 23 °C | Warp elongation at ambient temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3) | direction warptemperature 23 °Clab PMIC | — |
| 26 | Warp elongation at -189 °C | Warp elongation at cryogenic temperature, measured by PMIC for the paper (Table 3) | direction warptemperature -189 °Clab PMIC | — |
| 27 | Stiffness at -189 °C | Stiffness test as printed in Table 3 (lbf); the paper does not give a bending-test standard in the text read | temperature -189 °Clab PMIC | — |
| 28 | Flex cycles tested without visible damage | 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 | temperature -170 °Cresult no visible damage under microscopic examination | — |
| 29 | Predicted mass loss from ionospheric atomic oxygen | NASA prediction in the 1985 test report (TM-87149), scaled to ionospheric conditions; not a measured flight result | altitude about 220 km (ionosphere)basis prediction scaled from earlier asher and flight test datareference % of the original orthofabric mass per year | — |
Corrosion and compatibility
What happens when it meets other materials and environments.
| Environment | Concern | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Ionospheric atomic oxygen at about 220 km (predicted) | severe | Predicted to lose about 66% of its mass per year, while the outer layer still looks largely unchanged.1 |
| Lunar simulant under an 8-hour rotary dust tumbler | severe | Tumbling removes 40% of warp tensile load and 58% of warp elongation.2 |
| Elevated temperature, 120 °C | moderate | Warp tensile load drops to 295 lbf at 120 °C, from 468 lbf at 23 °C.3 |
| Cryogenic, -189 °C | moderate | Warp elongation drops to 15% and stiffness rises to 14.3 lbf.4 |
| # | Environment | Details | Test conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ionospheric atomic oxygen at about 220 km (predicted) | 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. | basis prediction from asher and flight test data, scaled to about 220 kmsample two-layer orthofabric test samples |
| 2 | Lunar simulant under an 8-hour rotary dust tumbler | 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. | simulant NU-LHT-4M lunar simulant with ceramic tumbler mediaduration 8 hours |
| 3 | Elevated temperature, 120 °C | 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%). | temperature 120 °Clab PMIC |
| 4 | Cryogenic, -189 °C | 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. | temperature -189 °Clab PMIC |
Risks and side effects
Hazards to people, what happens when a cell overheats, and how the material is handled and stored.
For the suit wearer
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.
- Dust abrasion
- 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%).
- Dust penetration
- About 6.9 g of simulant passed through the tumbled panel. NASA standardised this to 164.84 g/m2.
- Visible wear
- NASA's post-test images show the Gore-Tex fibres tufting and discolouring under the dust.
In hot and cold conditions
NASA tested the fabric at 120 °C, 23 °C and -189 °C. Its strength falls when hot, and its stiffness rises when cold.
- Hot
- At 120 °C, warp tensile load was 295 lbf, against 468 lbf at 23 °C. Cut resistance was 257 gf, against 437 gf.
- Cold
- 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.
In low Earth orbit
The fabric has a long service record in low Earth orbit, and atomic oxygen is the main hazard predicted there.
- Service record
- To the knowledge of NASA's authors, no cuts, punctures, tears or cracking from cold exposure have been reported in the fabric's use.
- Atomic oxygen
- 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.
Test details
The original wording and numbers from the sources, for readers who want them.
Failure risks
| Failure | Trigger and consequence |
|---|---|
| Dust abrasion of the outer facehigh severity | 8 hours in NASA's rotary tumbler with NU-LHT-4M lunar simulant and ceramic tumbler mediaWarp 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%). |
| Dust penetration through the weavehigh severity | The same 8-hour tumbler test, with simulant collected from the back of the panelAbout 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. |
| Stiffening and embrittlement in the coldmoderate severity | Warp testing at -189 °C (PMIC)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. |
| Strength loss when hotmoderate severity | Warp testing at 120 °C (PMIC)Warp tensile load fell to 295 lbf (from 468 lbf at 23 °C) and cut resistance to 257 gf (from 437 gf). |
| Atomic oxygen erosion in low Earth orbithigh severity | Ionospheric atomic oxygen at about 220 km (predicted)NASA predicts about 66% mass loss per year. The outer layer shows few visible signs of degradation, so visual inspection may miss the loss. |
Side effects on surrounding parts
| Affects | Effect |
|---|---|
| Mass and feel of the suit shell | Weight rose by 7% after the tumbler test, which NASA attributes most likely to dust retained in the fabric. |
Supply and geography
How common the raw materials are and where they come from.
Fluorine feedstock for the expanded PTFE face yarn (fluorspar, calcium fluoride)
- Top producers (2025)
- China 60%, Mexico 15%, Mongolia 15%, South Africa 4.1%
Para-aramid (Kevlar) and meta-aramid (Nomex) fibre
Documents
Datasheets, safety data sheets, papers and standards you can open.
Full record
The complete spore, as stored. Free to reuse under CC-BY-4.0. Images keep the licence shown with each one.
Show the full YAML
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.
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'
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
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'
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
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
- benchmark: breaking_load_warp
label: Warp tensile load, as received
value: 507
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
- benchmark: breaking_load_warp
label: Warp tensile load after tumbling
value: 302
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
- benchmark: elongation
label: Warp elongation, as received
value: 59
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
- benchmark: elongation
label: Warp elongation after tumbling
value: 25
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
- benchmark: tear_load_warp
label: Warp tear load, as received
value: 229
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
- benchmark: tear_load_warp
label: Warp tear load after tumbling
value: 120
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
- benchmark: cut_resistance
label: Cut resistance, as received
value: 437
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
- benchmark: cut_resistance
label: Cut resistance after tumbling
value: 637
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
- benchmark: puncture_resistance
label: Puncture resistance, as received
value: 38.8
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
- benchmark: puncture_resistance
label: Puncture resistance after tumbling
value: 84.8
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
- benchmark: thickness
label: Thickness, as received
value: 0.024
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
- benchmark: thickness
label: Thickness after tumbling
value: 0.02
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
- benchmark: areal_weight
label: Weight per unit area, as received
value: 14.5
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
- benchmark: areal_weight
label: Weight per unit area after tumbling
value: 15.49
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
- benchmark: air_permeability
label: Air permeability, as received
value: 22.5
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
- benchmark: air_permeability
label: Air permeability after tumbling
value: 12.7
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
- benchmark: absorptivity
label: Absorptivity, as received
value: 0.2
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
- benchmark: absorptivity
label: Absorptivity after tumbling
value: 0.362
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
- benchmark: emissivity
label: Emissivity, as received
value: 0.837
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
- benchmark: emissivity
label: Emissivity after tumbling
value: 0.866
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
- benchmark: dust_penetration
label: Lunar simulant passing through the fabric
value: 164.84
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
- benchmark: breaking_load_warp
label: Warp tensile load at 120 °C
value: 295
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
- benchmark: breaking_load_warp
label: Warp tensile load at 23 °C
value: 468
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
- benchmark: breaking_load_warp
label: Warp tensile load at -189 °C
value: 437
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
- benchmark: elongation
label: Warp elongation at 120 °C
value: 38.8
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
- benchmark: elongation
label: Warp elongation at 23 °C
value: 38.2
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
- benchmark: elongation
label: Warp elongation at -189 °C
value: 15
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
- benchmark: stiffness
label: Stiffness at -189 °C
value: 14.3
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
- benchmark: flex_cycles_without_visible_damage
label: Flex cycles tested without visible damage
value: 15000
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)
- benchmark: atomic_oxygen_mass_loss_rate
label: Predicted mass loss from ionospheric atomic oxygen
value: 66
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'
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
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
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: []
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.'
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)
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
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.
license: CC-BY-4.0
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.
story:
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.
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
value: 149 °C
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.'
- label: Cold tolerance
value: '-184.4 °C'
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.
- label: Dust abrasion
value: 302 lbf warp tensile load after tumbling
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.
- label: Atomic oxygen
value: 66% mass loss per year (predicted)
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.
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
- label: Elongation after dust tumbling
benchmark: elongation
- label: Warp tensile load after dust tumbling
benchmark: breaking_load_warp
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.
References
Every number above carries a reference number. Click one to see the source and where in it the value comes from.
| # | Source | Type | Year | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artemis Suit Material Overview (ICES-2025-56), International Conference on Environmental Systems | paper | 2025 | 41 values | |
| Mass loss of shuttle space suit orthofabric under simulated ionospheric atomic oxygen bombardment (NASA TM-87149) | report | 1985 | 3 values | |
| Thermal micrometeoroid garment (Wikipedia) | web | 2024 | 0 values | |
| Kevlar (Wikipedia) | web | 2024 | 0 values | |
| Kevlar product page, Arclin (former DuPont brand) | web | 2026 | 0 values | |
| Nomex product page, Arclin (former DuPont brand) | web | 2026 | 0 values | |
| KEVLAR Para-aramid Safety Data Sheet, Version 8.1 (DuPont) | datasheet | 2024 | 3 values | |
| Safety data sheet, POLYFLON PTFE M-532 (Daikin), version 1 | datasheet | 2011 | 2 values | |
| Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Fluorspar (USGS) | report | 2026 | 1 value |
Updated