Polyimide Foam Insulation Materials for Aerospace Vehicles and Spaceport Applications

Advancements in high temperature materials by NASA Langley Research Center have led to the development of polyimide foam systems with very attractive properties. The properties generated demonstrate the suitability of these materials for use as insulation for cryogenic fuel tanks on next generation vehicles, commercial and military ships, and potentially commercial aircraft. The significance of structural polyimide foams can be realized with a reduction in the overall weight of a launch vehicle. Due to a polyimide's high operating temperature (~260°C) and also good cryogenic insulation properties, these structural polyimide foams can potentially reduce the amount of Thermal Protection System (TPS) and TPS integration structure that is required on launch vehicles. See Figure 1 for a conceptual representation of a TPS system, where an insulation system would have to be reusable and exposed to both low and high temperatures upon launch and re-entry (1,2,3,4). The low-temperature elasticity of other polyimide foams is an enabling feature for many new cryogenic applications. These high performance materials also have properties that fulfill the demanding upcoming needs in ground support equipment for a Spaceport Technology Center.