TEXTILES.ORG
At ATA’s Emerging Technologies Conference, Mary Walker, project manager of the crew and systems division at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, discussed current and future uses for textiles in space. There are two types of environments researchers and scientists must consider when creating in-space textiles: extravehicular activity (EVA), which is anything outside the spacecraft; and intravehicular activity (IVA), which is inside the spacecraft.
IVA materials must be durable, reusable, have low toxicity, be comfortable and dust resistant to avoid contaminating the cabin and equipment on the spacecraft. These could be for crew quarters, such as acoustic panels or sleeping bags; crew clothing, including next-to-skin shirts, outer jackets and pants; containers and bags for cargo transfer or trash; and restraints, such as tie-down straps and bungee cords.
When NASA first sent astronauts to the moon through Apollo and Skylab, researchers developed specialized flame-resistant fibers and textiles including Beta glass, PBI, Durette and Astro Velcro. But these materials are no longer commercially available due to the discontinuation of raw materials and closure of the original manufacturers.
Recent development efforts have also not been promising. As a result, Walker says there is an immediate need for improved non-flammable textiles for oxygen-enriched environments or environments with a concentration of over 30 percent O2. Enriched oxygen cabin environments are preferred because they require a shorter spacewalk preparation process, reduce the likelihood of compression sickness, and maximize the time astronauts spend on a spacewalk, which allows more time for research and data collection.
According to Walker, while this is an immediate need, it’s challenging for IAV soft goods to pass flammability testing because recent flammability testing shows that all textile components, such as zippers, threads, Velcro, etc., must have good flame resistance not just the outermost layer. This means if one layer doesn’t pass the test, then none of them pass. However, hope isn’t lost for textiles that fail the flammability test as they could be blended into higher performing fibers to balance flammability and other functions.
Overall, textiles for IVA applications must be durable, reusable, have low toxicity, be comfortable, and be dust-resistant to protect astronauts from the sharp shards of lunar dust. Walker gave examples of non-flammable textiles that are needed in space, including durable woven fabric, sewing thread, felt, elastics, seams tape, and hook and loop fasteners.
Megan Phillips is an assistant editor for ATA publications. She can be reached at megan.phillips@textiles.org.