NASA-Backed Team Develops Ultra-Thin Coating to Improve Exoplanet Imaging
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Engineers have developed an ultra-black coating 100 times thinner than previous options, significantly reducing reflected light on key components of a starshade. This advancement, tested by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), is a critical step for a starshade, a spacecraft designed to block starlight so telescopes can directly image Earth-like exoplanets. The coating's development was supported by NASA's Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program.
Facts First
- A new ultra-black coating reduces reflected light by a factor of ~20 on starshade components, a key performance improvement.
- The coating is 100 times thinner than previous options tested for the flower-shaped starshade spacecraft.
- NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) validated the coating using a custom-built laser scatterometer on test blades.
- Development was supported by NASA SBIR contracts, including one for a roll-to-roll process to coat large membrane sheets.
- Starshades are designed to block starlight, allowing telescopes to directly image and study orbiting exoplanets.
What Happened
Engineers at ZeCoat Corporation... have developed an ultra-black coating that is 100 times thinner than previous coatings tested for use on starshades. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) tested the coating on 50-centimeter-long amorphous metal blades and found it reduced reflected light by a factor of approximately 20. The coating was developed using a physical vapor deposition process that creates nanoscale cavities from thin metal and dielectric glass layers. ZeCoat also developed a roll-to-roll coating process to apply the coating to large polyimide film membranes.
Why this Matters to You
This technical progress may one day enable scientists to directly image and analyze Earth-like planets orbiting other stars, fundamentally expanding our understanding of the universe and our place in it. A successful starshade mission could provide answers to... whether life exists beyond our solar system. The research also demonstrates how NASA's investment in small business innovation can lead to breakthroughs in specialized materials science.
What's Next
The coating technology will likely undergo further testing and refinement as part of the broader Starshade Science and Industry Partnership (SIP) chartered by NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program. The next major engineering challenge will be integrating the coated components into a full-scale starshade prototype. Successful development could pave the way for a future space mission dedicated to directly imaging exoplanets.