24-10-2012, 11:36 AM
Heating and Cooling Efficiency for Homes
ABSTRACT
Over 40 years ago, NASA developed Radiant Barrier technology to protect astronauts in the Apollo Program from
temperatures that ranged from 250 F above to 400 F below zero Fahrenheit. This feat in temperature control technology
enabled the astronauts to work inside the Apollo Command Module wearing short-sleeve shirts, with temperatures similar to
those of a regular business office. The Radiant Barrier has been applied to virtually all spacecraft since then, including
unmanned spacecraft with delicate instruments that need protection from temperature extremes. It is also applied to the
astronauts space suits, protecting them during space walks. Made of aluminized polymer film, the Radiant Barrier both bars
and lets in heat to maintain a consistent temperature in an environment where ordinary insulation methods will not suffice. The
aluminization of the material provides a reflective surface that keeps more than 95 percent of the radiated energy in space from
reaching the spacecraft s interior. In space suits, the thin and flexible material reflects the astronauts body heat back to them
for warmth, while at the same time reflecting the sun s radiation away from them to keep them cool. Using conventional
insulation, a space suit would have required a 7-foot-thick protective layer.