Spacecraft Thermal Coatings: mli_materials
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mli_materials | Aluminized Polypropylene (Al-PP) 0.5-mil | Low-outgassing alternative to Mylar for MLI; aluminum side out | 0.13 | Cryogenic MLI for propellant tanks; high-performance thermal blankets | 0.03 | Very low emissivity; slightly better than Al-PET |
| mli_materials | Beta Cloth (Teflon fiber outer layer) | Woven PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) glass-cloth outer layer for MLI; UV stable | 0.3 | MLI blanket outermost layer on many spacecraft; fire-resistant alternative to aluminized Kapton | 0.83 | High emissivity woven fiber structure |
| mli_materials | Embossed Aluminized Mylar (Al-PET) 0.25-mil | Aluminized polyethylene terephthalate; aluminum side out; embossed to reduce contact conduction | 0.14 | MLI blanket interior layers; preferred for high-performance cryogenic MLI | 0.04 | Very low emissivity aluminum surface |
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