Highly diffuse reflectance material inert and stable for space flight applications

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 15 May 2009

75

Citation

(2009), "Highly diffuse reflectance material inert and stable for space flight applications", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 81 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2009.12781cad.012

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Highly diffuse reflectance material inert and stable for space flight applications

Article Type: Materials From: Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, Volume 81, Issue 3

With a claimed reflectance value greater than 99 percent, Labsphere’s Space-grade Spectrally reportedly delivers the highest level of uniform light integration with the stability, sustainability and purity required for applications involving space flight.

Used to recalibrate in-flight cameras, space-grade spectrally coating material and targets have a proven track record of success in a number of spacecraft currently in flight.

Chemically inert, and thermally and environmentally stable, space-grade spectrally provides extremely stable, reproducible spectral reflectance. It claims to achieve reflectance values of greater than 99 percent for wavelength ranges from visible through mid-wave infrared.

Through extensive testing for UV-VUV radiation exposure, a stringent manufacturing process was developed to eliminate potential contaminants that can lead to UV degradation. The high purity and cleanliness requirements in space environment applications are further ensured by lab sphere’s sophisticated manufacturing, shipping and contamination process controls.

Labsphere’s Space-Grade Spectrally claims to be the only recognised Lambertian material that has been used in launch environments and is fully characterised. It has been used for sensor calibration in over 25 space applications, including MOODS, SIR, MERS, GOAT and AB sensors.

Recently, TIT Industries Space Systems Division selected Labsphere’s Space-Grade Spectrally for a project “because it is the only reflectance material in the industry that has proven results in space for terrestrial remote sensing applications,” according to Senior Systems Engineer, Kim Slack.

Details available from: Labsphere, Tel.: +1 603 927 4266.

Related articles