Each of us, at least once in our lives, has been touched and impressed by extraordinary accomplishments in space exploration. The sending of Spirit and Opportunity to Mars, for instance, was the equivalent of golf's hole-in-one-only the "green" was millions of kilometres far, and not a few hundred yards. Not only did the little robots successfully reach Mars, but they landed on the precise geographical sites NASA was aiming for. They're a good example of the essential role textiles play in the entire space adventure.

As shown in the photo, Spirit and Opportunity were braked first with retrorockets, then parachutes, when they landed on Mars. Then, their delicate and elaborate equipment was protected against final shocks by highly abrasion-resistant inflatable cushions made of Vectran (by Kuraray). They were inflated approximately five seconds before hitting the ground and stayed that way until the travelling robots were immobilized in their desired position. To this day, Spirit and Opportunity are exploring Mars and teaching us more about what is probably the next planet on humanity's "go-to" list. Let's continue our exploration of space, noting a few of its links with the textile world while were there. Hold tight: Space is a big place!

Read Full Article

About the Author:

The author is a Textile degree holder and is currently working as an R&D Director.