Just like the ClearSpace-1 robotic capture system, Space Forge’s Pridwen will be tested by the European Space Agency (ESA) with an actual atmospheric reentry. Called Pridwen, named after King Arthur’s shield, this reusable, origami-insapired heat shield will be deployed before a spacecraft reenters the atmosphere.
Rather than removing unwanted heat with ablation, Pridwen utilizes radiation. In other words, its high temperature alloy fabric has a sufficiently high surface to allow heat flux to spread evenly across it and gradually radiate away. A prototype heat shield is set to be launched aboard the company’s inaugural ForgeStar-1A mission later this year.
- Features a detailed replica of the Eagle lunar lander with a depiction of the lunar surface, with a crater, footprints and a U.S. flag
- This modular model features a descent stage with gold-colored landing pads and panels, opening camera, laser hatches, and a movable ladder
- The ascent stage has a detailed interior with room for 2 astronauts. The model is finished with an Apollo 11 Lunar Lander nameplate
Supermaterials made in space will be able to save industries on Earth enormous amounts of energy, limiting their CO2 emissions in a way their terrestrial counterparts can never match. Pridwen and Fielder are key parts of our plan to develop fully reusable manufacturing satellites that can kick start a new industrial revolution,” said Andrew Bacon, CTO and co-founder of Space Forge.
