Conducting Polymer (CP) infrared electrochromics in spacecraft thermal control and military applications

The implementation of advanced CP-based far-IR electrochromics in an actual spacecraft (NASA's ST5 mission to be launched 2003) and defense (IR-homing missile countermeasure) application is described. For spacecraft thermal control, the modification of fundamental CP properties and innovative device design required to pass the rigors of space (e.g. 10(-7) Torr, +/- 90 degreesC, high radiation, p/e and atomic-O fluxes, ESD/EMP) while meeting the minimum performance (Emittance variation of 0.42) are described. Space qualification test results presented show the surprising versatility of CPs. For the military application, detailed data, in the form of IR camera pictures, are presented. These encompass a variety of environments (e.g. foliage, sand, water, sky, snow) and modes (e.g. total darkness, heat from behind, front, cooling from behind). These show excellent IR camouflage performance under all conditions.