Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • FAQs
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • FAQs
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • FAQs
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • FAQs

Bones in Space – Solarblack

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  17 Jan 2020

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email
ESA's Solar Orbiter due to launch on February 5th 2020 - Protected by a heatshield with Bones in Space Solarblack protection. ESA’s Solar Orbiter due to launch on February 5th 2020 – Protected by a heatshield with Bones in Space Solarblack protection.

Solar Orbiter

In February 2020 an Irish company will showcase to the world its innovative use of burnt bone charcoal. ENBIO has developed a use for charred bone with its unique product Solarblack. This product will bring heatshields for spacecraft to another level. ESA’s Solar Orbiter is due to launch on February 5th. Bones in space – Solarblack high technology for the next decade.

Solarblack

The application of Solarblack to heatshields is for the thermal protection of spacecraft working in the harsh environs of space. Yes, the Solar Orbiter space probe will soon be on its way to study the sun. Its duty is to  inform us more fully about the origins of spaceweather. The mission will  to being a  manmade probe closer to our star than ever  before.

The word Solarblack suggest bright and dark. The brightest thing you can think of i.e. the Sun and the darkest colour of all, pure black. This product is a Thermo optical coating, next-generation protection for spacecraft heat shields.The technology developed by ENBIO is called CoBlast. This is  a method in which the thermal layer is bonded to the metal of the heat shield. The Solarblack layer has been extensivly tested and refined.  The process used by ENBIO enables the heat shield layer to become one with the titanium metal used.  Treated in this way the shield can withstand temperatures of up to 520 degrees Celsius.  It can both absorb this heat and then radiate it back into space.  You can read more about CoBlast here

Solarblack is, therefore, a kind of heat neutraliser, protecting Solar Obiter and its instruments as it observes by the sun at a distance of 42 million kilometres (26 Million miles) It is incredible that bone can be repurposed, to help us understand the star that gave birth to our solar system long before cows and people existed.

Prehistoric Black

In my drawings, there cannot be a black pastel that is black enough for me to accept. There must be a bit of a cavewoman in me because I am so particular about the depth of the black. Way back in prehistoric times cavemen or women used charred animal bones to make their drawings on the stone walls around them. Many stone age cave drawings still exist today a testament to the quality of the pigment used and the intent of the artists. Bone black is a pigment created from the charring of animal bones. Rembrandt and other masters used bone black pigment in their work. Intense black such as this gives teriffic depth to a painting. ENBIO and its Solarblack thermal skin will help give solar knowledge a new deph of understanding and make its own very different mark in the near future.

During my 2019 Science Week drawing workshops, I occasionally mentioned Solar Orbiter. I told the kids about the ingredients in the product. They loved the idea of bones helping a space mission. Kids love anything even slightly macabre, odd or out of the ordinary. Interest was probed, so a drawing workshop around the mission will develop during 2020.

Follow ENBIO on Twitter

You can follow ESA on Twitter

Go follow Solar Orbiter on Twitter

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

Exploration above and below

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  30 Jun 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

In the Sky this Week – June 28, 2022

By Robert Trembley  |  28 Jun 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Agnes Mary Clerke, M31 and Thomas Aquinas

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  25 Jun 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

A Tiny Particle of the Creator

By Br. Guy Consolmagno  |  25 Jun 2022

Archives

      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts by
Deirdre Kelleghan

Exploration above and below

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  30 Jun 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

James Webb Space Telescope Inspiration

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  17 May 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Draiocht ar on Ghrian – Magic on the Sun

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  30 Mar 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Copper Inspiration

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  19 Mar 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

M44 – Beehive Earth Conjunction

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  12 Jan 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Drawing C/2021 A1 (Leonard)

By Deirdre Kelleghan, Robert Trembley  |  8 Dec 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

View More

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

  • *
Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard