Beyond the Boost

We also helped ensure the safety of the Orion crew capsule, both in orbit and during re-entry to Earth. Since 2010, we've been supplying the phenolic material used to produce key components of the capsule's thermal protection system. These components shield the spacecraft from the hot gases it produces while controlling its on-orbit position and from the 4,000-degree Fahrenheit environment it experiences during re-entry.

"Phenolic components are designed to degrade and erode in a controlled fashion that carries heat away from the spacecraft," said Hank Dovey, Northrop Grumman's senior program manager for propulsion systems. "This ablative property prevents heat from transferring to astronauts or the spacecraft's underlying structure."

In other words, this insulation helps the capsule and crew return to Earth safely.