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Science and Technology Facilities Council - UKRI
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Thermal engineering for space
RAL Space is the UK’s national space laboratory where our thermal engineers and technicians help design and build spacecraft. They make sure that the components will work correctly and are protected in the extreme temperatures of space by using a special type of insulation. In this activity and presentation, pupils will learn about the modes of heat transfer and properties of materials, and how this applies in space. Pupils can check their understanding using the worksheets and then make their own thermal space blankets, performing an experiment with everyday materials to see how effective their insulation is.
Meet the team who help make spacecraft blankets by hand; read and watch Celine and Reuben’s career profiles to learn some pathways into space careers. The team leader ran a crafting business and now applies her skills in the space industry.
Thermal engineering for space video
Multi-layer insulation (MLI) experiment video
Reuben Chesterman - career profile video
Please note, some of the images in the presentation 'Thermal Engineering for space' are no longer available within the file.
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