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Aerogel, MLI Film, or Graphite: Selecting Spacecraft and Launch-Vehicle Materials
Spacecraft and launch-vehicle materials answer three problems: moving heat off electronics with no air to carry it, insulating structure and feedlines across enormous temperature swings, and converting the thin film layers that build multilayer insulation blankets. Over all of it sit two constraints, low outgassing near optics and survival through thermal cycling.
This guide walks the families on the spacecraft and launch-vehicle materials page, from graphite spreaders and boron-nitride pads to Cryogel, Pyrogel, SOLIMIDE, and the Kapton and Apical MLI films, matched to the job each does best.
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Thermal control, insulation, and blanket layers: three jobs above the atmosphere
Spacecraft and launch-vehicle materials answer three families of problem: moving heat off electronics with no air to carry it, insulating structure and feedlines across enormous temperature swings, and converting the thin film layers that build multilayer insulation blankets.
Two constraints sit over all of it, low outgassing for anything near optics or sensors, and survival through thermal cycling, so the selection is as much about the data sheet's screening lines as its thermal numbers. H-O Products converts these materials to your drawing; flight qualification belongs to your program. The families below are sorted by job.
Thermal control: conducting heat without air
In vacuum there is no convection, so heat moves by conduction and radiation. Graphite spreaders, SpreaderShield natural graphite and eGRAF HiTherm, move heat laterally in very thin, light sections, while the boron-nitride silicone families Sil-Pad insulating pads and Gap-Pad fillers bridge a component to its radiator or structure, with thermal data per ASTM D5470 on the TDS. The Protect and Secure families add pad and film options.
Insulation: from cryogenic feedlines to hot structure
The aerogel blankets span the temperature range: Cryogel Z is the cryogenic-duty grade for propellant feedlines and cold structure, while Pyrogel XTE and ArmaGel handle elevated-temperature insulation, all delivering high thermal resistance in thin sections. SOLIMIDE polyimide foam adds very low density for lightweight thermal-acoustic duty, and AeroZero thin polymer film provides insulation in ultra-thin form.
MLI and blanket layers: converting the films
Multilayer insulation is built from thin polymer film layers, and H-O converts those layer materials to pattern: Kapton HN general-purpose film, Kapton FN FEP-coated bondable film, Apical NP polyimide film, and the broader Kapton and Apical polyimide film family. We die-cut and kit the layers and wraps; final blanket assembly and grounding are performed by your program.
Venting and sealing: surviving ascent
Sealed enclosures must release pressure during ascent without admitting contamination, so a protective vent is built into the wall. ePTFE membrane vents equalize pressure while blocking liquids and particulates, and ePTFE sheet serves as a low-outgassing gasket and barrier material.
Spacecraft Families by the Job They Do Best
| Family | Best job | Why it is chosen | Data on TDS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphite / Sil-Pad | Thermal control | Spreads or bridges heat with no air; thin and light | ASTM D5470 thermal impedance |
| Cryogel Z | Cryogenic insulation | Aerogel blanket for feedlines and cold structure | Thermal per TDS; ASTM C1101 |
| Pyrogel XTE / SOLIMIDE | Hot / light insulation | High thermal resistance thin; very low density foam | ASTM C177 / C518 thermal |
| Kapton / Apical | MLI / blanket layers | Thin polyimide film converted to pattern | ASTM D149 dielectric; thermal per TDS |
| ePTFE vent / sheet | Venting / sealing | Equalizes pressure; low-outgassing barrier | Airflow and outgassing per TDS |
Illustrative and relative only; confirm each grade on its current technical data sheet. Job assignments describe common usage, not flight qualification.
How do outgassing and thermal cycling reshape the shortlist?
Two screens dominate above the atmosphere. First, anything that shares a vacuum with optics, sensors, or cold surfaces must be low-outgassing, so grades whose TDS reports ASTM E595 screening move to the front, and a material that is thermally perfect but outgasses can contaminate the very payload it serves. Second, the part must survive repeated thermal cycling between extremes without cracking, delaminating, or losing adhesion, which favors materials with matched expansion behavior and resilient chemistries.
The practical order is to name the location and its vacuum and temperature exposure first, confirm the E595 screening on the TDS, and only then compare thermal performance among the survivors.
How H-O Products helps
H-O Products die-cuts, waterjet-cuts, laminates, and kits the families above to your drawing in Winsted, Connecticut; we do not manufacture the films, aerogel, or graphite in-house. We die-cut graphite spreaders and gap fillers to footprint, cut Cryogel and Pyrogel insulation to pattern, convert Kapton and Apical MLI layers and wraps, and kit material sets to work orders, all under our ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system with lot-coded traceability and the maker's TDS, outgassing lines included, on the order.
Frequently asked questions
How do satellite electronics reject heat with no air?
By conduction and radiation rather than convection. A thermal-interface material carries heat from a component into a radiator or structure: graphite spreaders such as SpreaderShield and eGRAF HiTherm move heat laterally in thin, light sections, while boron-nitride silicone pads (Sil-Pad, Gap-Pad) bridge a component to its sink, with thermal data per ASTM D5470 on the TDS. We die-cut these to the component footprint.
What insulation is used on cryogenic propellant feedlines?
Cryogel Z is the usual aerogel blanket for cryogenic duty, delivering high thermal resistance in a thin, flexible form that wraps feedlines and cold structure. For elevated-temperature zones, Pyrogel XTE and ArmaGel cover the hot end of the range. We cut and kit these to pattern; the install and any vapor-barrier detailing are part of your program's design.
Does H-O make MLI blankets?
H-O converts the MLI layer materials, the thin polyimide films such as Kapton HN, Kapton FN, and Apical NP, to pattern and kits the layers and wraps. Final blanket assembly, grounding, and venting are specialized program activities performed by your team or your blanket house. Converting the layers accurately is where we add value; the finished blanket integration stays with you.
What materials carry ASTM E595 outgassing screening?
Many of the families here report E595 screening on their technical data sheets, including PORON grades whose TDS reports the screening, ePTFE, and polyimide films; the screening data lives on the maker's TDS, not on the converted part. Tell us the location is outgassing-sensitive and we will steer toward grades that carry the E595 lines. H-O does not run the test.
Is this hardware flight-certified by H-O?
No. H-O supplies converted materials to your drawing and the maker's published data, including outgassing screening where the grade reports it. Flight qualification and certification are established by your program. We hold no flight-certification claim and make no qualification determination; what we provide is the accurate converted part and its documentation.
Get a spacecraft material recommendation
Tell us the job (thermal control, insulation, MLI layer, or venting), the location and its vacuum and temperature exposure, any outgassing requirement, and the geometry, and we will recommend a family and quote converted parts.
Samples typically ship in 3 to 5 business days for common die-cut configurations on materials we keep on hand; standard production runs about two weeks after drawing approval; expedited service is available. MOQ varies by material and part.
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Related reading
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Last updated · Reviewed by H-O Products engineering (ISO 9001:2015 certified converter, Winsted, CT).
References
- ASTM C177 / C518 (thermal conductivity); ASTM C1101 (flexible blanket insulation); ASTM D5470 (thermal impedance); ASTM D3574 (flexible cellular urethane); ASTM D149 (dielectric strength); ASTM E595 (outgassing screening).
- Cited by designation; H-O performs no outgassing or flight-qualification testing.
- Manufacturer technical data sheets: SpreaderShield and eGRAF HiTherm graphite, Sil-Pad and Gap-Pad boron-nitride silicone, Cryogel Z, Pyrogel XTE and ArmaGel aerogel, SOLIMIDE polyimide foam, AeroZero film, Kapton HN / FN and Apical NP polyimide film, ePTFE membrane vent and sheet, PORON urethane.
This article summarizes material-selection principles for spacecraft and launch-vehicle hardware using the families and method designations cited on the parent application page. Comparisons are qualitative; thermal, dielectric, and outgassing values are per each grade's current technical data sheet, and no test results are quoted.
ASTM E595 and other designations are named for orientation only; H-O performs no outgassing or qualification testing and makes no flight-certification determinations. All parts are custom manufactured to order; minimum production run quantities vary by material and part. H-O is a converter, not a raw-material producer.