LONG DURATION STORAGE OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF CRYOGENIC FLUIDS FOR PROPULSION, POWER, AND LIFE-SUPPORT IS AN…

Public award description

LONG DURATION STORAGE OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF CRYOGENIC FLUIDS FOR PROPULSION, POWER, AND LIFE-SUPPORT IS AN ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT FOR LONG-TERM MISSIONS INTO SPACE. THE BEHAVIOR OF ACTIVE AND PASSIVE CRYOGENIC FLUID MANAGEMENT (CFM) IS PARAMOUNT TO THE RELIABILITY OF A SPACESHIP AND CRYOTANK STORAGE. THEREFORE, EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE INSULATION MATERIALS ARE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF SPACE MISSIONS. ASPEN AEROGELS PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A MULTI-LAYER AEROGEL INSULATION (MLAI) SYSTEM TO MEET NASA'S CFM NEEDS. AEROGEL HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE MORE DURABLE AND RELIABLE THAN MLI, AT A LOWER WEIGHT AND REDUCED COST WITH COMPARABLE THERMAL PERFORMANCE. DURING THIS PROGRAM, ASPEN AEROGELS WILL VALIDATE THE KEY PROCESS STEP FOR A NEXT GENERATION AEROGEL MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY TO ENABLE THE FABRICATION THE PROPOSED AEROGEL MATERIAL. THIS NEW PROCESS IS ALSO EXPECTED TO ENABLE COST REDUCTION OF AEROGEL MATERIALS IN GENERAL, A REQUIREMENT TO PENETRATE LARGER COMMERCIAL THERMAL INSULATION MARKETS. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPOSED MLAI SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE NASA WITH A LONG-TERM CFM SOLUTION FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS.