Columbia Sportswear Readies Technology for Next Space Mission

Ever wonder what’s in lunar ice? We may soon know thanks to a mission to the south pole of the moon next week.

The space exploration company Intuitive Machines is planning its second lunar launch no earlier than Feb. 26 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The ship, the Athena, will be protected by two of Columbia Sportswear’s proprietary products — Omni-Heat Infinity and Omni-Shade Sun Deflector technologies — to protect it from the extreme cold and hot temperatures in space and on the moon as it seeks to retrieve lunar ice.

The Oregon-based apparel manufacturer had worked with Intuitive Machines last year by incorporating its Omni-Heat Infinity insulation technology into its IM-1 mission to protect it against the freezing cold temperatures. On this mission, IM-2, the lander will also use the Sun Deflector to shield it from the sun’s heat in space and on the moon’s surface.

The Athena will use a multilayer insulation blanket made from the Sun Deflector material to cover its top deck and reflect solar radiation away from its batteries and avionics. The Infinity technology will be used to insulate its helium tank against temperatures that are expected to range between 250 degrees above or below zero.

“During the IM-1 mission, we demonstrated the insulative power and durability of our Omni-Heat Infinity technology to help protect the lander — the same insulation used in our winter jackets and gear,” said Haskell Beckham, vice president of innovation at Columbia. “While we celebrated this historic moment, we knew it was just the first step in unlocking the true potential of Columbia’s patented innovations. Through this scientific partnership, we have been able to stretch the boundaries of material and product testing to the furthest frontiers, reinforcing our commitment to delivering some of the most innovative outdoor solutions in the world.”

The goal of the mission is to search for water sources outside of Earth.

The lunar mission will be streamed live on NASA TV as well as on the Intuitive Machines website.