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Spinoff story
Aerogel Insulations Save Millions in Industrial Applications
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
Beginning with two SBIR contracts from Kennedy Space Center, Aspen Systems worked with NASA to develop the first sturdy, practical aerogel insulations. The effort spun off into Northborough, Massachusetts-based Aspen Aerogels, a 300-person company with over $100 million in annual revenue. While the ultra-lightweight, super-insulating materials appear in many consumer products, their primary applications are in power plants, steam distribution systems, buildings, pipelines, and other industrial applications all over the world, where they conserve energy and reduce costs and downtime.