CORNERSTONE RESEARCH GROUP INC — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z2.01

Description

CRG proposes to demonstrate MG Syntactic as an incompressible, block-format, high-temperature insulation material for future Venus landers, Jupiter atmospheric probes, and other harsh environment space exploration applications. The MG Syntactic insulation includes a combination of (1) CRG's proprietary high temperature stable MG Resin as a binder, (2) light weight and high temperature insulation fillers for reduced weight and thermal conductivity, and (3) fiber reinforcements for structural performance as needed. The resulting material is incompressible, inherently tough compared with microporous ceramics, machinable, easy to work with, and highly conformable. Most importantly, its density is approximately 25% that of its ceramic counterparts and its porosity is closed-cell so the density of the gas environment that it's in should have no bearing on its thermal conductivity. All of these benefits translate to a lighter weight, more reliable insulation system in support of longer mission durations.