Portuguese cork was chosen by NASA as the material used to protect critical structures in several components subject to extremely high temperatures on the Artemis II spacecraft. In 2022, what is one of the main national raw materials had already gone into space aboard Artemis I.
Coming from cork oaks, present in corks, shoes and even jewelry, Portuguese cork went further. In this which is the In more than 50 years, the raw material was transformed into a material known in the aerospace industry as P50.
The material contributes several essential properties to a mission of this caliber, since the thermal insulation in extreme heat conditions, energy absorption under mechanical stressflexibility to adaptation to complex geometries until compatibility with advanced composite systems.
In this way, the cork is one of those responsible for protecting the shipserving as a kind of thermal ‘shield’.
“Cork’s role is, in essence, simple but critical: to protect by sacrificing itself. As temperatures increase, the material undergoes a controlled transformation, forming a carbonized layer that reinforces thermal resistance and protects the underlying structures”, says Eduardo Soares, director of innovation at Amorim Cork Solutions.
The CEO of Corticeira Amorim, António Rios de Amorim, is pleased with the choice of and highlights that the preference show a “reliability” of Portuguese cork.
“In the aerospace sector, continuity is not assumed — it is achieved through performance”, says António Rios de Amorim, in a .
According to the same Note, the performance of materials like P50 is possible through a highly specialized engineering process, supported by a qualified technical team and rigorous quality control systems.
“The continued presence of cork in this context reflects a deeper evolution. The future of high-performance engineering will increasingly depend on materials inspired by nature. And if cork can respond in an environment as complex and technologically demanding as space, it demonstrates its potential to respond to challenges in practically any industry”, concludes the CEO.
