Textile and Apparel Science

Development and Evaluation of a Woven-Nonwoven Hybrid Environmental Protection Garments (EPG) Shell Textile for Lunar Exploration Mission

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Abstract

The purpose of this research was to develop and evaluate a nonwoven-woven hybrid fabric that can be used for future Environmental Protection Garment (EPG) shells to provide better lunar dust protection in future Lunar exploration missions. Two batts of carded P84® polyimide fibers were placed on the back of the woven Vectran Orthofabric and felted 40 times using a FeltLOOM®. The Hybrid fabric was then calendared, compressed, and singed and/or razored to remove the P84® fibers from the surface. The researchers tested total dust burden (dust penetrated + dust adhered) and durability properties for the 3 fabrics: Orthofabric, Vectran Orthofabric, and the Hybrid. The Hybrid fabric has lower total dust burden than Orthofabric and has no dust penetration. For flex and abrasion resistance, Hybrid fabric is a stronger in both directions than Orthofabric before solar exposure, and is a stronger in the filling direction than Orthofabric after solar exposure. 

Keywords: Nonwoven, Hybrid, Orthofabric, Vectran

How to Cite:

Yatvitskiy, M., Cao, H., Wagner, N., Dombrowski, R. & Hobbs, E., (2025) “Development and Evaluation of a Woven-Nonwoven Hybrid Environmental Protection Garments (EPG) Shell Textile for Lunar Exploration Mission”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 81(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.18574