Technical Fibre Products Ltd today announced that their nonwovens are present on the recently launched European Space Agency (ESA) satellite GAIA.

Technical Fibre Products has supplied the material through RUAG Space GmbH, a provider of thermal insulation to the space industry. TFP’s nonwoven can be found in the satellites solar shield, as a constituent in the multi-layer insulation that is primarily used in thermal management.

The satellite, GAIA, was launched in December 2013 and has now entered its operational orbit where it aims to make the largest, most precise three-dimensional map of our Galaxy by surveying an unprecedented 1% of its population of 100 billion stars.

The material used on GAIA is just one of a broad range of nonwovens developed and manufactured by TFP. This range encompasses carbon, aramid, glass, thermoplastic and metal coated nonwovens as well as those made from more speciality fibers such as quartz, silicon carbide and pure metals. This diversity of fiber type and associated properties enables TFP’s nonwovens to be used in a wide variety of applications. These include delivering a high quality and functional surface finish in composites, providing high temperature thermal insulation and passive fire protection, as well as offering solutions for cryogenic storage and power generation.