Atomic-6 Unveils Lightweight Space Armor for First In-Orbit Debris Test on SpaceX Flight
Atomic-6 is testing Space Armor tiles—thin, non-metallic shielding designed to minimize secondary debris—on a Portal Space Systems spacecraft for a SpaceX Transporter-18 mission, marking the first in-orbit demonstration. The two tile variants, Space Armor Lite (protects 3 mm particles) and Space Armor Max (up to 12.5 mm), aim to replace the aging Whipple shield and could later shield astronauts and lunar payloads.