Spacecraft Materials Textiles

The Spacecraft Textile Materials Development for Exploration project focuses on non-flammable IVA textile development and optimization for use in the Exploration Atmosphere (up to 37% O2/8.2 psia), intended for infusion and use in Artemis missions and beyond. A sampling of the textiles needed to outfit a spacecraft cabin include knit and woven fabrics, sewing threads, nonwoven felts/foams including acoustic absorption material, seam sealing tape/fabric, webbing, bungee/elastic cord, and hook and loop fasteners. A variety of textiles will be developed through this project that meet the agency’s most urgent needs. The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) led an agency-wide technical assessment of NASA's fire-resistant (FR) textile gaps. They released a report with their findings and identified Tier 1 (high-priority) and Tier 2 (lower-priority) textiles based on current agency needs and priorities. The report includes a recommended strategy for closing the FR textile gaps.

Each textile development effort will have the same general approach starting with a Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) evaluation (Phase 0) to benchmark the State-of-the-Art (SOA) in a specific textile category. Modified-COTS solutions will be investigated for feasibility to determine if a full development effort is needed. Then there will be planning and baselining (Phase 1) to define requirements, schedule, contract needs, and a testing plan. A contract mechanism will be put in place with a selected vendor for modified-COTS or prototype development (Phase 2). When the prototyping is completed and all requirements are met, a final production run (Phase 3) will be done to establish part numbers and production parameters with the vendor so the textile can be reliably procured in the future for infusion into exploration class missions.

Fiscal Year 26 (FY26) will kickoff the development of hook and loop with adhesive backing. Phase 0 (COTS evaluation) has already been completed as part of the NESC assessment due to the limited number of hook and loop vendors in the US. The hook and loop project will start with Phase 1 to define requirements, schedule, contract needs, and a testing plan. FY26 also includes COTS testing of all other Tier 1 textiles to understand the available products and determine which Phase those development projects will begin with. Outyears will include further requirements development, setting up contracts, prototyping and testing (Phase 2), and production runs (Phase 3).

FY26 objectives:

• COTS Testing of Priority Tier 1 textiles identified in the NESC FR Textile Development Strategy
• Start the customer fire-resistant Hook & Loop with adhesive backing development project – define requirement, vendor selection, and initial prototype trials

An increased use of textiles and other softgoods is crucial to the pursuit of exploration spaceflight to reduce mass and volume. Exploration spaceflight missions benefit from enriched oxygen cabin environments (>30% O2) by allowing a reduced pre-breathe protocol time before EVA. However, materials become exponentially more flammable the higher the O2 levels become. Recent testing within the agency has revealed the lack of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) materials that can meet safety requirements in oxygen-enriched environments.

Most of the fibers and textiles developed during Apollo (100% O2) and Skylab (70% O2) include various fibers and textiles (i.e., beta glass, PBI, Durette, Astro Velcro) that are no longer commercially available due to those Programs ending and the discontinuation of raw materials or closure of the original manufacturers. More recent vehicle atmospheres like Shuttle and ISS mimic Earth’s atmosphere of 21% O2 and the use of common COTS textiles are acceptable.

This project will culminate in various established part numbers and production parameters with vendors so the textiles can be reliably procured in the future for infusion into exploration class missions. Development of new fire-resistant textiles for spaceflight could also benefit industries here on Earth, like Firefighting and emergency response, military and defense, or heavy industry protective equipment.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.