A Marietta materials company is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space protection.
Atomic-6, known for its work in aerospace and defense composites, has introduced Space Armor tiles, a product that shields satellites and astronauts from dangerous space debris while preserving vital communications.
According to a statement, Space Armor can stop debris traveling at thousands of miles per hour without blocking the satellite’s radio signals or creating more debris in the process.
The threat of orbital debris has loomed over every space mission, the statement said, and the Earth’s orbit is littered with debris that moves at speeds high enough to pierce a spacecraft or a space suit.
“Like a loose pebble hitting your windshield on the highway,” Atomic-6 said in its announcement the scattering of objects or particles can strike at any time and do significant damage.”
“In NASA’s recent study on the economic advantages of safeguarding satellites from orbital debris, the findings suggest potential net benefits exceeding $50 billion over the next 30 years,” the Atomic-6 website reads.
Traditional protective systems, known as Whipple shields, have been used since the 1950s. But when they are hit, secondary debris is ejected back into space.
“This is a big deal,” said Trevor Smith, CEO of Atomic-6. “This little composite tile preserves mission-critical functions, thereby protecting spacecraft, space stations, and people in orbit from increasingly prevalent, yet invisible threats.”
The company has developed two versions of its protective material for low and high-impact debris, the statement said.
“With rising geopolitical tensions and growing concerns over space-based attacks, protecting satellites and astronauts from both deliberate strikes and accidental debris collisions is no longer optional — it’s essential,” Smith said
