The ATL-1 satellite tested an insulation material developed at the Institute of Chemistry

2024.10.16.

Onboard the ATL-1 satellite, three insulation materials developed at the ELTE Institute of Chemistry were successfully tested. The insulation produced with Al₂O₃ fiber synthesis, which performed the best, may offer an excellent alternative to materials used previously.

As one of the flagships of Hungarian space research, ELTE excels in multiple areas of space science and is increasingly making its mark in the space industry. Spacecraft, satellites, and airplanes continually require better and lighter insulation materials. To meet this demand, researchers at the Institute of Chemistry are developing various ultra-lightweight, highly porous, nano-structured aluminum oxide-based materials with excellent insulating properties, which could be suitable for constructing devices exposed to extreme conditions.
Following laboratory tests, one of these developments, the insulation produced with Al₂O₃ fiber synthesis, was tested in space. This test was conducted using the ATL-1 satellite, developed at BME with the participation of H-ION Ltd. and ATL RT. Thanks to the successful testing, the MRC-100 satellite, launched in 2023 and expected to orbit in space for 2-3 years, is also insulated with Al₂O₃ fibers.

Figure 1. Al₂O₃ cryogel, Al₂O₃ fiber, ATL-1 satellite.

The results obtained from the processing of data received from the satellites are summarized in the article published this summer, referred below. The researchers evaluated the thermal insulation capability of the three selected materials applied in 1 mm thickness from three perspectives: insulation intensity, thermal cycling caused by rotation, and response time to temperature change. The nanoporous fiber system achieved the best results (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Comparison of thermal insulation data obtained from the ATL-1 satellite. Test materials: porous fibers, Al₂O₃-based composites, and cryogel materials. Kapton foil served as a comparison, a commonly used insulation material in satellites.

The original article can be read here:

Z. Tóth, B. Nagy, P. Ádám, K. Sinkó, O. Temesi, Gy. B. Lak, Z. Veress, A. Nagy, E. V. Hodl, L. Dudás, Thermal Performance Characterization of Battery Insulation on ATL-1 Picosatellite Mission. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences Technology. SRC/JEAST-357. DOI: doi.org/10.47363/JEAST/2024(6)263,

The production is protected by patent:

Sinkó K, Temesi O, Ádám P, Nagy A: „Eljárás 100% alumínium-oxid, porózus, szálas anyag előállítására” 2113270 szabadalom (2022).