15 January 2026 Portal Space System is a defense startup, which develops long-duration maneuverable satellites for national security missions - announced the selection of a new shielding material from Atomic-6 for the Starburst-1 mission, scheduled for October 2026 year.
For decades, spacecraft designers have been using Whipple-type shields to protect against space debris, which use metal layers to break up the particles, approaching, into fragments, before they hit the main structure of the apparatus. However, even a tiny piece of debris can puncture fuel tanks, destroy the batteries or break through the electronics and structure. in addition, metal layers add mass, block RF signals and often create additional debris on impact.
Atomic-6 – startup, which specializes in advanced composite materials for extreme environments - produces a product called Space Armor, designed to protect spacecraft from impacts of micrometeoroids and orbital debris. The company positions the new product as an alternative to metal shields, affirming, that advances in composite materials allow weight reduction while simultaneously improving performance. Space Armor uses hexagonal tiles that are approx 19 mm, which can be attached to the surfaces of the device to protect specific components. Space Armor Lite tiles at approx 30% lighter and on 15% thinner, than Whipple aluminum shields. Debris protection systems must absorb particle impacts, moving at a speed over 7 km/s, while not interfering with radio frequency signals, which are used for communication and navigation. The additional mass also reduces the maneuverability of the satellite and its service life. The Portal notes, that Space Armor suits their focus on sustained maneuverability. The use of Space Armor shields allows Portal to offer customers extended maneuverability and longer time in orbit. Atomic-6 conducted hypervelocity impact tests at the University of Dayton (University of Dayton Research Institute) and University of Texas A&M, firing 3mm aluminum projectiles at over 7 km/s, which roughly corresponds to orbital conditions.
The tests showed, that the tiles are resistant to fragmentation - they absorb and hold the impact, rather than creating secondary debris, which could threaten other satellites.
Starburst-1 will be Portal's first orbital demonstration mission, which will test Space Armor after ground tests. They will be installed on the satellite before integration into the SpaceX Transporter-18 mission. The satellite will operate in a sun-synchronous orbit for about a year, demonstrating close-in capabilities and operations, rapid orbital changes and redirections.
Source: https://spacenews.com