FIRST-FLEX (ESA Artes 5.1)
Project acronym: FIRST-FLEX
Project full title: FIRST-surface FLEXible Optical Solar Reflectors
Funding: the project is financially supported by ESA through the ARTES 5.1 program
Area: Space Technologies
- Topic
- Materials for thermal control of spacecrafts
- Objectives
- Exploring the feasibility of a new class of flexible Optical Solar Reflectors consisting of the patent pending Interferential CERMET coating deposited on flexible susbtrates.
- Role of CREO
- Project coordinator and owner of the technology.
- Solution / Technology
- The Interferential CERMET is a low alpha and high epsilon coating consisting of sputter-deposited dielectric and ceramic layers. Developed and qualified for the Bepi Colombo mission, it shows extreme durability to the space environment and excellent adheision on a variety of metal and polymer substrates.
TRL: 4-5
Breadboards delivered on flexible substrates of different nature: polyimide, PEEK, Titanium and Aluminum films, CFRP sheets. Samples succesfully tested against thermal cycles, UV (screening), bending and application on radiator mock-up. Thedrmo-optical and anti-ESD properties meet the aplication requirements (alpha < 0.15, epsilon > 0.80, Rsheet < 10^5 Ohm/square).
Web site: FIRST-FLEX Artes 5.1 Project
