Spacecraft of the future may be able to detect and repair their own structural damage in orbit, a capability that could make long-duration missions and reusable launch vehicles more resilient.Self-healing materials for spacecraft have been studied for years as engineers look for ways to detect and repair damage that occurs after launch. Now, new work supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) aims to move the concept forward by combining damage detection and repair in a single structural system. Researchers are developing a composite material that can sense cracks and then repair them automatically using heat. The technology integrates embedded sensors, heating elements and a self-healing carbon-fiber composite into one structure, according to an ESA statement.
