DUNMORE Corporation multi-layer insulation (MLI) material is protecting the cargo bay and payload aboard the reusable SpaceX Dragon space capsule as it begins regular cargo runs from Earth to the International Space Station (ISS) with a launch this week.
DUNMORE MLI blankets and wire wrap provides thermal protection for key areas of the Dragon capsule, such as around its hatch door and propellant tanks. Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft that NASA selected to succeed the Space Shuttle as the International Space Station’s U.S. supply vehicle. It is the first commercial space vehicle supplying the space station. Dragon, built and launched by aerospace company SpaceX, also contains DUNMORE insulation tapes around its circuitry and insulation films around sensitive instruments.
In May, Dragon became the first commercial space vehicle to dock with the International Space Station. The successful inaugural flight cleared the way for 12 runs to deliver supplies, experiments and, in 2015, passengers to the ISS. The current payload, which took off from Cape Canaveral on Sunday, Oct. 7, includes 166 experiments in plant cell biology, human biotechnology and materials technology.
“The Dragon spacecraft represents a major evolution in space travel from manual to automated, yet many of the needs are the same,” said DUNMORE Vice President John Jordon. “Our materials are proven over many years of space travel, so customers who entrust their payloads to Dragon know they’re getting the highest levels of protection on the journeys to and from the International Space Station.”
DUNMORE is a major supplier of high-performance films for aerospace industry production and operational applications. DUNMORE materials are at work on the Hubble Space Telescope, the International Space Station (ISS) and NASA’s Juno and GRAIL programs. DUNMORE is also supplying MLI materials to the Mars Science Laboratory Project.
About DUNMORE
DUNMORE Corporation is a global supplier of engineered coated and laminated films. DUNMORE offers film conversion services such as coating, metallizing and laminating along with contract film manufacturing. DUNMORE produces coated film, metallized film and laminating film substrates for the photovoltaic, graphic arts, packaging, aerospace, insulation, surfacing and fashion industries. DUNMORE is privately held, ISO 9001:2008 and OSHA VPP Star certified. For complete information on DUNMORE’s products, services and industries served, please visit DUNMORE’s website http://www.dunmore.com/.
