SpaceX is about to launch an “origami” heat shield.

A private company in the UK has developed a revolutionary new reusable heat shield that folds and unfolds like origami. Soon, the device is expected to be launched from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for its first atmospheric test flight.

Called Pridwen, the accessory aims to provide spacecraft with a safe re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

This was the name of the shield of King Arthur, a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories, led the defense of present-day Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the shield based on the famous Japanese folding art is an innovative project by Space Forge, based in Cardiff, Wales.

according to announcement agency, Pridwen will be part of the ForgeStar-1A mission, to be launched this year on a SpaceX shared flight, though the date has not yet been set.

Following payload release and the spacecraft’s subsequent trajectory toward Earth, the heat shield will be deployed prior to atmospheric reentry and will be retrieved by a “hanging net” of Space Forge, an unmanned aquatic vessel designed to capture payloads that they return from space.

Crafted from a high-temperature alloy fabric, the shield uses origami-inspired folding techniques to minimize its size and take up as little physical space as possible when not in use.

Traditional ablative heat shields are often the same width as the spacecraft they protect. They are stiff and heavy and rely on the gradual burning of the material to deflect heat absorption.

According to the manufacturer, the Pridwen shield’s ability to unfold and expand in size creates a large enough surface area to evenly distribute and radiate heat without damaging the fabric, which allows it to be folded up and stored away again for reuse. Additionally, the increased size of the origami shield creates enough air resistance to facilitate descent without the need for a parachute.

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Source: Olhar Digital