BRISTOL, Pa., Feb. 12, 2013 – DUNMORE Corporation multi-layer insulation (MLI) materials are protecting the newest satellite in a 38-year program recording changes of the Earth’s surface as NASA successfully launched the LDCM yesterday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
DUNMORE MLI blankets shield the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) satellite from extreme heat, cold and radiation while in orbit around the Earth. Two specialized instruments, the OLI and TIRS, will take measurements of the Earth’s terrestrial and polar regions in the visible, near-infrared, short-wave infrared and thermal infrared wavelengths providing a comprehensive "picture" of the earth’s ever-changing surface.
DUNMORE is a key supplier of high-performance films for aerospace to the industry and continues to be an important partner for NASA and its commercial subcontractors. DUNMORE materials are at work on the Hubble Space Telescope, the International Space Station (ISS) and NASA’s science missions. DUNMORE is also supplying MLI materials to the Mars Science Laboratory – Curiosity. DUNMORE‘s high-performance, thin-film based MLI blankets protect the LDCM spacecraft and minimize the weight contribution this system provides versus heavier options like metal sheeting and composite panels.
"The balancing act between weight and performance never ends on these projects," said DUNMORE Vice President John Jordon. "Providing a lightweight MLI material that delivers maximum thermal insulation is our contribution to the success of this long-lived mission."
LDCM, a joint NASA / U.S. Geological Survey project, has provided the longest continuous record of changes to the Earth’s surface. It is an important source of information for land use planning, disaster response and water use monitoring, and in the agriculture, geology, forestry, regional planning, education, mapping and global change research industries. LDCM also contributes to NASA research in the focused areas of climate, carbon cycle, ecosystems, water cycle, biogeochemistry and Earth surface/interior.
About DUNMORE
DUNMORE Corporation is a global supplier of engineered coated and laminated films. DUNMORE offers film conversion services such as coating, metallizing and laminating along with contract film manufacturing. DUNMORE produces coated film, metallized film and laminating film substrates for the aerospace, photovoltaic, graphic arts, packaging, insulation, surfacing and fashion industries. DUNMORE is privately held, ISO 9001:2008 and OSHA VPP Star certified. For complete information on DUNMORE‘s products, services and industries served, please visit DUNMORE‘s website http://www.dunmore.com/.
SOURCE DUNMORE Corporation