The future of the NASA space program includes longer and more invasive missions into space. Long duration storage of large quantities of cryogenic fluids for propulsion, power, and life-support is an essential requirement for these missions. Efficient and reliable insulation of the cryogenic fluids is key to the success of long missions into space. Aspen Aerogels successfully developed a novel low-density hybrid insulation system composed of multiple layers of low density, low dust superhydrophobic aerogels and multilayer insulation (MLI) for cryogenic fluid management. The hybrid aerogel/MLI insulation system outperformed MLI system at cryogenic temperatures and across a range of vacuum conditions, including high vacuum. This exceptional performance is considered a new breakthrough in high vacuum cryogenic thermal insulation materials. During the Phase II Program, further refinement and qualification testing of the low-density aerogel material will be performed in order to be used in real world applications. Liquid oxygen (LOX) compatibility of the aerogel material and a cost assessment will also be investigated. For qualification of this novel insulation system for future NASA in-space programs, extensive work will be dedicated to large-scale testing and performance evaluation of the refined hybrid aerogel/MLI insulation system.
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