Shankar Narayanan
Renselaer Polytechnic Institute
Narayanan will develop multilayer insulation (MLI) is necessary that is lightweight, highly reflective, thermally insulating, mechanically robust and electrically conductive to protect various systems in space, including spacecraft, satellites, and long-term storage of cryogenic fluids like liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to support space exploration. In order to shield from the harsh environment of space and harmful radiation from sun and earth, the MLI systems have to provide several attributes, including being lightweight, highly reflective, thermally insulating, mechanically robust and electrically conductive. The overall goal of this project is to achieve these attributes by developing novel MLI systems using scalable fabrication techniques. Specifically, the project involves the design and manufacture of three-dimensional hierarchical structures (3DHS) to achieve the required optical, thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. The objectives include constructing these structures with high precision, using cost-effective materials, and manufacturing strategies amenable to automation and minimum human intervention.