SPACE blanket
So-called space blankets, also known as emergency blankets, were first developed by NASA in 1964. The highly reflective insulators are often included in emergency kits and are also used by long-distance runners after finishing a race to avoid a large swing in body temperature. They have been incorporated into outdoor clothing and sleeping bags as well.
Originating Technology/NASA Contribution
NASA has long been known for having developed the thin, shiny reflective material used to insulate everything from the Hubble Space Telescope to hikers, from the Mars rovers to marathon runners, from computers to campers, from satellites to sun shields, and from rockets to residences. It is one of the simplest, yet most versatile spinoffs to come out of the Agency.
The insulating material, a strong, plastic, vacuum-metallized film with a highly-efficient, infrared-reflective, vapor-deposited coating of aluminum, was created to be very lightweight in order to minimize weight impact on vehicle payload while also protecting spacecraft, equipment, and personnel from the extreme temperature fluctuations of space.
It has been employed on virtually all manned and unmanned NASA missions. The shiny insulation which coated the base of the Apollo lunar landing vehicles is perhaps one of the most memorable early displays of this technology, and the bright, reflective honeycomb on the James Webb Space Telescope prototype is a testament to its lasting usefulness.
Both the Heatsheets and Thermo-Lite have been named Certified Space Technologies by the Space Foundation. The Space Foundation, in cooperation with NASA, created the Space Certification Program to promote the extraordinary products and services that bring the benefits of space technologyto Earth and enhance public interest and awareness in space.
Heatsheets® is a registered trademark of AFMInc.
DuPont® is a registered trademark of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
Supplex® and Cordura® are registered trademarks of INVISTA, Inc.
Thermo-Lite® is a registered trademark of Encompass Group, LLC.
Text: Nasa