Industrial Tech

ElevationSpace, Toyota Develops Heat-Resistant Materials

ElevationSpace Corporation and Toyota Industries Corporation will begin joint development of heat-resistant materials to be used in the atmospheric re-entry system when a space demonstration vehicle returns to Earth. ElevationSpace is the first private company in Japan to tackle atmospheric re-entry and recovery technology to bring materials researched and developed in space back to Earth. In this joint development project, Toyota Industries will utilize its carbon fiber 3D weaving technology to research and develop lightweight, low-wear, low-cost heat-resistant materials that can withstand the high temperature environment during atmospheric re-entry. As the market for private-sector-led space businesses expands, atmospheric re-entry and return technology is an essential infrastructure for space activities, and further evolution is expected. In particular, high-performance thermal protection technology is required because the re-entry vehicle is subjected to severe…