Spacecraft Thermal Coatings: aluminized_kapton
Spacecraft thermal control coating optical properties — solar absorptivity (alpha) and infrared emissivity (epsilon) for common spacecraft thermal surfaces. Covers white paints (S13G/L, Z-93/AZ-93, YB-71, Aeroglaze A276), black paints (Aeroglaze Z306/Chemglaze Z306, MAP-9, carbon-black, Acktar Fractal Black), optical solar reflectors (OSR quartz/Ag, OSR glass/Al, flexible Ag-FEP), silver-Teflon tape (Ag/FEP 2-mil and 5-mil), gold foil (VDG on Kapton), aluminized Kapton (Al-side out, Kapton-side out, double-aluminized), bare metals (polished Al, alodine Al, electropolished SS, mechanically polished SS, Ti-6Al-4V), anodized aluminum (clear anodize, black anodize), MLI materials (beta cloth, embossed Al-Mylar), and conductive coatings (Ge/Kapton, ITO/Kapton). All values are BOL (beginning of life). Data from NASA RP-1121, Gilmore Spacecraft Thermal Control Handbook 2nd Ed., AZ Technology, Acktar, Socomore/Lord Aeroglaze, and peer-reviewed literature.
| coating category | coating name | alpha notes | alpha sol (dimensionless) | application | epsilon ir (dimensionless) | epsilon notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aluminized_kapton | Aluminized Kapton (Al side out) 1-mil | Vacuum-deposited aluminum on Kapton; aluminum side exposed; moderate alpha | 0.15 | MLI innermost layers; thermal isolation barriers | 0.04 | Very low emissivity when aluminum side out |
| aluminized_kapton | Aluminized Kapton (Kapton side out) 1-mil | Kapton polyimide side exposed; golden-amber color; absorbs solar well | 0.38 | MLI outer facing layer (beta-cloth in some applications); electrical grounding path | 0.82 | High IR emittance from Kapton polymer |
| aluminized_kapton | Double-Aluminized Kapton (DAK) 2-mil | Both sides aluminized; used in MLI blankets as interior layers; very low emissivity | 0.15 | MLI blanket interior layers; superior thermal isolation | 0.04 | Same as aluminized Kapton Al-side-out |
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