Milliken & Company to develop flame-resistant fabric for NASA

Milliken & Company, a global leader in diversified manufacturing, has announced its collaboration with NASA to design and manufacture flame-resistant (FR) intimate fabric for the upcoming Artemis missions. Artemis III marks the first crewed Moon mission by the U.S. in over five decades, scheduled for launch no earlier than 2026.

Through the JSC Engineering, Technology & Science (JETS) II contract with NASA, Milliken is partnering with Jacobs, a global professional services firm, to develop a next-to-skin textile for astronauts’ clothing during the lunar landing mission.

NASA, in conjunction with U.S. industry partners, is working on the Human Landing System (HLS) for the Artemis campaign, necessitating flame-resistant fabrics for vehicles operating in environments with heightened fire risk due to increased oxygen levels. Milliken has been chosen as the supplier for the development and manufacturing of these specialized fabrics.

The initial phase of the project, initiated in summer 2023, focused on manufacturing planning and material evaluation. Milliken utilized its expertise in flame-resistant materials, knitting, finishing, chemical analysis, material testing, and Rapid Prototype Center capabilities to analyze NASA’s historical materials comprehensively.

In the project’s second phase, Milliken and Jacobs are finalizing prototypes and manufacturing the new textile for delivery to NASA. This phase is expected to be completed by fall 2024.

Ramesh Kesh, Senior Vice President of Milliken’s Textile Business, highlighted the company’s tailored approach to the project, leveraging the flame-resistant capabilities of the Westex® brand and the expertise in knit fabrics from the Polartec® brand. He expressed confidence in Milliken’s ability to support NASA through manufacturing excellence and patented research.