GTRI sends next-gen satellite polymers to the ISS in MISS-22 and gets them back for lab tests

A GTRI-led team is flying candidate spacecraft polymers on MISSE-22 aboard the ISS to test how they hold up in real low-Earth orbit.

The samples will be exposed to atomic oxygen, radiation, and extreme temperature swings, then returned to Earth for lab analysis.

A custom on-orbit polariscope and machine learning will track stress changes during flight and compare them with post-flight ground tests.

The results could validate new polymers for satellites, reduce protective mass, and lower the risk of future material degradation.