Atomic-6, a leading manufacturer of advanced composite materials, announced the first-ever launch of its Space Armor® technology into orbit aboard Portal Space Systems' Starburst-1 spacecraft, carried by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Bandwagon-5 dedicated rideshare mission. The launch marks a significant milestone for Atomic-6, moving Space Armor® tiles from ground-based hypervelocity testing to its first operational deployment in space.
The composite shielding technology will help protect critical spacecraft systems against potentially catastrophic impacts from micrometeoroids and orbital debris (MMOD), addressing concerns related to the “Kessler Syndrome,” a cascading effect of space debris collisions that could make parts of Earth's orbit unusable for satellites or space missions. Built with a proprietary fiber-to-resin manufacturing method, Space Armor® tiles also create the first composite radome, a structural enclosure that protects communication equipment, that offers both communications transparency and impact resilience.
“We've proven Space Armor® tiles can withstand debris traveling at extraordinary speeds without generating harmful secondary fragments,” said Trevor Smith, CEO, Atomic-6. “Now, we're putting that technology to work aboard Portal's Starburst-1, taking an important step toward scaling its deployment and making space safer and more sustainable.”
Protecting a New Generation of Spacecraft
Space Armor® technology’s combination of impact resistance, reduced mass, and RF permeability offers spacecraft manufacturers a new approach to protecting high-value orbital assets, including satellites, communications systems, and future crewed platforms. Unlike traditional metallic Whipple shields, Space Armor® tiles are lighter, thinner and engineered to resist fragmentation upon impact, reducing the risk of generating additional hazardous debris in orbit.
In ground-based hypervelocity testing, Space Armor® composite tiles successfully stopped projectiles traveling faster than 7 kilometers per second, or approximately 16,000 miles per hour, while producing no harmful secondary debris. In comparative testing, conventional aluminum shielding generated a multitude of fragments, some larger than the original projectile.
Portal's Starburst-1 installed Space Armor® tiles on its first free-flying spacecraft mission carrying live payloads. Designed for rapid maneuvering within an orbital regime , Starburst-1 will demonstrate capabilities that support rendezvous and proximity operations, rapid retasking, and significant orbital changes during its planned one-year primary mission.
“Protecting spacecraft from orbital debris matters to us and our customers, and we’re excited by Atomic-6’s approach to that challenge,” said Jeff Thornburg, co-founder and CEO of Portal Space Systems. “Space Armor has the potential to add valuable protection to spacecraft while not affecting or hindering the performance our missions demand. Seeing the first tile reach orbit is a milestone deserving of celebration, and we’re proud to have been the vehicle to get them there.”
Portal and Atomic-6 will use experience from integrating Space Armor® tiles onto Starburst-1 to validate installation procedures and develop best practices for incorporating the tiles into future spacecraft designs.