US: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) will test integrated multi-layer insulation (IMLI) in 2015. Quest Thermal Group LLC will manufacture the insulation under a subcontract from Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Quest is developing the technology under small business innovative research (SBIR) contracts to NASA.
"Conventional insulation was necessary for the GPIM spacecraft, and now we can fly a section of the IMLI at no extra cost to the program and prove it for operational use," said Jim Oschmann, vice president and general manager for Ball's Civil Space and Technology business unit.
GPIM is a project for NASA's Technology Mission Demonstration (TDM) program managed by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). The primary purpose of the mission is to demonstrate the viability of an alternative propulsion system for spacecraft other than hydrazine by flying a 'green' propulsion system.
