Nano-barrier could protect satellites from oxygen damage

Atomic oxygen (O) is created with O2 molecules break apart, a process made easier in space because of the abundance of ultraviolet radiation. Atomic oxygen then reacts with organic surfaces on spacecraft and degrades them. 

Engineers from Airbus Defence and Space and the Advanced Technology Institute at Surrey said that the newly developed nano-barrier and custom-built deposition system bonds to the surface of polymer or composite materials, protecting them from erosion.

According to Airbus, the nano-barrier allows for large-area, conformal coating on 3D structures such as spacecraft and optical mirrors. This eliminates the risk of contamination and the need to wrap instruments with multi-layer insulation, opening up opportunities to increase satellite performance. 

“This breakthrough technology is an enabler for extremely agile, high performance space borne radar missions,” said Christopher Hess, head of Microwave Instruments at Airbus Space Systems. “It should have a huge positive impact on overall mission performance by offering higher flexibility in the acquisition as well as increasing the possible imaged area - giving our instruments greater performance.”