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Space blanket
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<h2 id="manufacturing">Manufacturing</h2> <p>First developed by <a href="/facts/NASA/TIMCV0yV">NASA</a>'s <a href="/facts/Marshall_Space_Flight_Center/Q5XqseqT">Marshall Space Flight Center</a> in 1964 for the US space program,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> the material comprises a thin sheet of <a href="/facts/Plastic/Kla5QItn">plastic</a> (often <a href="/facts/PET_film_(biaxially_oriented)/Eg8XF4F0">PET film</a>) that is coated with a <a href="/facts/Metal/PT8hNX6R">metallic</a>, <a href="/facts/Reflection_(physics)/BhcjDs79">reflecting</a> agent, making it <a href="/facts/Metallized_polyethylene_terephthalate/43tgeJUn">metallized polyethylene terephthalate</a> (MPET) that is usually gold or silver in color, which reflects up to 97% of <a href="/facts/Thermal_radiation/1PD9jtCv">radiated</a> heat.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>For use in space, <a href="/facts/Polyimide/4nW9HVKF">polyimide</a> (e.g. <a href="/facts/Kapton/NwTwLMeE">Kapton</a>, <a href="/facts/UPILEX/a9k8f6Wq">UPILEX</a>) substrate is usually chosen due to its resistance to the hostile <a href="/facts/Corrosion_in_space/lS6hf5HF">space environment</a>, large temperature range (cryogenic to −260 °C and for short excursions over 480 °C), low <a href="/facts/Outgassing/IgMX4wUP">outgassing</a> (making it suitable for <a href="/facts/Materials_for_use_in_vacuum/pooN9Tny">vacuum use</a>), and resistance to <a href="/facts/Ultraviolet/kncBUqn5">ultraviolet</a> radiation. Aluminized <a href="/facts/Kapton/NwTwLMeE">Kapton</a>, with foil thickness of 50 and 125 μm, was used on the <a href="/facts/Apollo_Lunar_Module/XtvQS5K5">Apollo Lunar Module</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> The polyimide gives the foils their distinctive amber-gold color. </p><p>Space blankets are made by <a href="/facts/Vacuum_deposition/n8Lu88Sw">vacuum-depositing</a> a very precise amount of pure <a href="/facts/Aluminum/7wmR8jYE">aluminum</a> vapor onto a very thin, durable film substrate.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="usage">Usage</h2> <p>In their principal usage, space blankets are included in many emergency, <a href="/facts/First_aid_kit/qmogs97S">first aid</a>, and survival kits because they are usually waterproof and windproof. That, along with their low weight and ability to pack into a small space, has made them popular among outdoor enthusiasts and emergency workers. Space blankets are often given to <a href="/facts/Marathon/IP3eBrhS">marathoners</a> and other endurance athletes at the end of races, or while waiting before races if the weather is chilly.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The material may be used in conjunction with conductive insulation material and may be formed into a bag for use as a <a href="/facts/Bivouac_sack/PHcRqPm9">bivouac sack</a> (<a href="/facts/Survival_bag/4gppbYxw">survival bag</a>).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>In <a href="/facts/First_aid/UomU8Ybm">first aid</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> the blankets are used to prevent or counter <a href="/facts/Hypothermia/lIYDCIAv">hypothermia</a>. A threefold action facilitates this: </p> <ul><li>The airtight foil reduces <a href="/facts/Convection/E8vsCPhu">convection</a></li> <li>Heat loss caused by <a href="/facts/Evaporation/tgvIlJys">evaporation</a> of <a href="/facts/Perspiration/c5zARtaT">perspiration</a> is reduced<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></li> <li>The <a href="/facts/Reflection_(physics)/BhcjDs79">reflective</a> surface inhibits losses caused by <a href="/facts/Thermal_radiation/1PD9jtCv">thermal radiation</a></li></ul> <p>In a hot environment, they can be used to provide shade or protection against radiated heat, but using them to wrap a person would be counterproductive, because <a href="/facts/Body_heat/V692hIjw">body heat</a> would get trapped by the airtight foil. This effect would exceed any benefit gained from heat reflection to the outside. Wearing a space blanket produces an insignificantly slower cooling rate after running in hot, humid conditions.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p><p>Space blankets are used to reduce heat loss from a person's body, but as they are constructed of <a href="/facts/BoPET/Eg8XF4F0">PET film</a>, they can be used for other applications for which this material is useful, such as insulating containers (e.g. DIY solar concentrators) and other applications. </p><p>In addition to the space blanket, the <a href="/facts/United_States_military/NHVsU9Id">United States military</a> also uses a similar blanket called the "casualty blanket". It uses a thermal reflective layer similar to the space blanket, backed by an <a href="/facts/Olive_(color)/IMkcdPWd">olive drab-colored</a>, reinforcing, outer layer. It provides greater durability and warmth than a basic space blanket at the cost of greater bulk and weight. It is also used as a partial liner inside the layers of bivouac sacks in very cold weather climates.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> Space blankets were also used by the <a href="/facts/Taliban/VJC0WJlq">Taliban</a> to hide their heat signature from NATO forces.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Emergency_shelter/4gppbYxw">Emergency shelter</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Emissivity/LUxfMRRI">Emissivity</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/R-value_(insulation)/vevLBEKw">R-value (insulation)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Radiant_barrier/tRMDYx44">Radiant barrier</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Reflectivity/TT4sBwIw">Reflectivity</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Thermal_insulation/j7tVT4uv">Thermal insulation</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Thermoregulation/V692hIjw">Thermoregulation</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Thin-film_deposition/nSeoUT4Q">Thin-film deposition</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li> Media related to Space blankets at Wikimedia Commons</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"How Space Blankets Work". howstuffworks.com. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2018. <a href="https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/gear/space-blanket.htm" target="_blank">https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/gear/space-blanket.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Hall, Loura (15 September 2016). "Reflecting on Space Benefits: A Shining Example". NASA Center for AeroSpace Information. Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070202131218/http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/Spinoff2006/ch_9.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20070202131218/http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/Spinoff2006/ch_9.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Huntington, Tom. "Bringing NASA Down to Earth." AmericanHeritage.com. 2008. <a href="http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/2008/3/2008_3_33.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/2008/3/2008_3_33.shtml</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Bryan, Will (May 11, 2016). "The Space Blanket: Your Adventure Companion". The Marshall Star. NASA. Retrieved May 11, 2016. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/about/star/star160511.html#three" target="_blank">https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/about/star/star160511.html#three</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Reflective Insulation Test data. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030810193711/http://www.insul.net/testdata.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20030810193711/http://www.insul.net/testdata.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Speik, Robert. "Emergency space blankets provide a false sense of security". traditionalmountaineering.org. Retrieved 14 September 2018. <a href="http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/FAQ_SpaceBlankets.htm" target="_blank">http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/FAQ_SpaceBlankets.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Paul Fjeld. "Lunar Module Coatings". home.earthlink.net. Retrieved 14 September 2018. <a href="https://home.earthlink.net/~pfjeld/lmdata/index.html" target="_blank">https://home.earthlink.net/~pfjeld/lmdata/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Space Blankets". Retrieved 12 March 2016. <a href="https://sustainableplanet.ca/best-weighted-blankets-canada/" target="_blank">https://sustainableplanet.ca/best-weighted-blankets-canada/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"General Guidelines for Recycling at Mass Participant Sporting Events." AFMInc. 2008. <a href="http://www.heatsheets.com/docs/recycle.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.heatsheets.com/docs/recycle.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Emergency Shelter" REI. <a href="http://www.rei.com/category/4500522" target="_blank">http://www.rei.com/category/4500522</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Full Wrap on Space Blankets." Runner's World. 2005. <a href="http://www.runnersworld.co.za/static/shoes_gear/story.php?section_id=4&sub_section_id=66&id=587" target="_blank">http://www.runnersworld.co.za/static/shoes_gear/story.php?section_id=4&sub_section_id=66&id=587</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Buggy, D.; Hughes, N. (1 April 1994). "Pre-emptive use of the space blanket reduces shivering after general anaesthesia". British Journal of Anaesthesia. 72 (4): 393–396. doi:10.1093/bja/72.4.393. PMID 8155437. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fbja%2F72.4.393" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fbja%2F72.4.393</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"How Body Heat is Lost." Survival Topics. <a href="http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/how-body-heat-is-lost/" target="_blank">http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/how-body-heat-is-lost/</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>REYNOLDS, KORY; EVANICH, JOHN (2015). "Reflective Blankets Do Not Effect Cooling Rates after Running in Hot, Humid Conditions". Int J Exerc Sci. 72 (4): 393–6. doi:10.1093/bja/72.4.393. PMC 4831857. PMID 8155437. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4831857" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4831857</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"How to Choose Bivy Sacks". REI. Retrieved 14 September 2018. <a href="http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/bivy+sack.html" target="_blank">http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/bivy+sack.html</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"Afghanistan: Patrolling the most attacked base". BBC. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2011. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-16026965" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-16026965</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Smucker, Philip. "U.S. soldiers' options limited to protect Afghans from Taliban." The State. Jun. 2, 2009. <a href="http://www.thestate.com/166/story/811102.html" target="_blank">http://www.thestate.com/166/story/811102.html</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>