Patent ID: 6939610

Claim:
A film-forming composition adapted, when applied as a coating to external surfaces of space apparatus, to protect those external surfaces from aerothermal heat which the external surfaces are subjected to during spacecraft missions, the film-forming composition including as a resinous binder a thermosetting resin adapted to adhere to the external surfaces during spacecraft missions, the thermosetting resin having incorporated therein microspheres of phase change materials having latent heats in the range of 70 to 100 BTUs/lb capable of storing the aerothermal heat to which the external surfaces are subjected, microspheres being microscopic particles of the phase change material encapsulated in an inert shell, the thermosetting resin being loaded with a quantity of phase change microspheres to form at least a forty percent solids coating sufficient so that the phase change material in an applied film stores the aerothermal heat.