Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI)
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BA 500BC / CF500 F (Beta Cloth, Beta Fabric)
BA 500BC TDS
Beta cloth, also called beta fabric, is a white, PTFE-impregnated glass cloth commonly employed as an outer MLIB (Multi Later Insulation Blanket) layer due to its AO (atomic oxygen) resistance in LEO (Low Earth Orbit). It was heavily used on the Space Shuttle and continues to protect the interior and exterior of the International Space Station (ISS).
Beta cloth products are comprised of a high performance PTFE (Teflon™) and glass composite used as a component for MLI (multi-layer insulation) blankets. Often used as the outer layer, special design of the product provides the strength, resistance to flex fatigue and handle which sets it apart from other standard coated fabrics, and makes it more suitable for space applications. This lightly coated, low outgassing material has a great deal of flight legacy being used in proximity to sensitive components and equipment. In many applications, some properties or values are diminished by end of life as the effects of thermocycling, atomic oxygen, solar ultraviolet radiation, vacuum ultraviolet radiation, and space debris attack the exposed surface. Our Beta cloth fabrics are able to withstand these harsh conditions, serving as a barrier and protecting the inner surface.
This historic material is manufactured by Saint-Gobain Coated Fabrics in Manchester, NH USA and is supplied to the aerospace market exclusively by Bron Aerotech, Inc in Denver, Colorado. Bron Aerotech facilitated the successful re-qualification of beta cloth at aerospace OEMs when DuPont changed the Teflon formulation to reduce and then eliminate PFOA.
We supplied NASA (JPL) with beta cloth that is still protecting the nuclear power plant of Curiosity on planet Mars, 32 million miles from Earth.
The most common end products associated with beta cloth (non-silicone) are:
BA 500BC / CF500 raw beta cloth
Etched beta cloth for bonding and laminating
Beta cloth tape for cable/wire wrap
BA 500BC-966 beta cloth with low outgassing adhesive
BA 500BCGW beta cloth with graphite wire/weave for conductivity/anti-static
BA 125BCL light weight beta cloth (also available with graphite weave)
Metalized (VDA) beta clothBeta Cloth on Space Station during EVA (Space Walk).
Beta cloth, aka beta fabric, was designed and manufactured to withstand the harsh environment of space in order to protect sensitive and expensive equipment. It was at one time used in space suit manufacturing.
April 25, 1990, photograph taken by the crew of the STS-31 space shuttle mission, the Hubble Space Telescope is suspended above shuttle Discovery’s cargo bay some 332 nautical miles above Earth. The Canadian-built Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm, controlled from in-cabin by the astronaut crew members, held the huge telescope in this position during pre-deployment procedures, which included extension of solar array panels and antennae. (Source: NASA)
For more information or to purchase beta cloth, please contact us :
Bron Aerotech
service@bronaerotech.com
800.782.8807Khristopher Fortson
Saint-Gobain Coated Fabrics
khristopher.fortson@saint-gobain.com
(714) 642-8147
Related Products
BA 500BCGW
Beta Cloth (Fabric) with Graphite Weave
BA DM102
MLI First Surface Mirror and MLIB Edge Closure Tape -
BA 500BCGW beta cloth
BA 500BCGW, utilizes a tightly woven Beta® fiberglass substrate with a woven-in grid of graphite yarn to provide static dissipative performance. This material is commonly used in aerospace applications (e.g. Space Shuttle, International Space Station). For applications that do not require electrical static dissipation, please refer to the data sheet for BA 500BC. This product is silicone free.
BA 500BCGW TDS
Related Products
BA 500BC (CF500) Beta Cloth
PTFE Coated Glass Fabric
BA DM102
First Surface Mirror & MLIB Edge Sealing Tape -
BA 904
BA 904 is a 30 gauge polyimide based product that is aluminized on both surfaces and then coated with a corrosion resistant coating to protect the aluminum. BA 904 offers excellent physical, thermal, and optical properties with low emittance and solar absorptance values. BA 904 is perforated to facilitate the venting of air during the ascent phase of launch. BA 904 is engineered for use in multi-layer insulation (MLI) blanket applications and is particularly suited for broad temperature ranges and complies with the requirements of ASTM D-5213.
TDS BA 904
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BA DM102
First Surface Mirror and MLI Blanket Edge Sealing Tape
TDS BA DM102