MS-certified space-grade aluminium sheet manufacturers

Space-grade aluminium sheets are often used to create spacecraft and satellites due to aluminium’s lightweight and high strength properties.

To ensure that space engineers have access to tested and qualified products that will operate effectively in space, the Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS) was developed by the industry.

In this article we take a look at the benefits this material can bring to space missions, share advice on selecting the right commercial option for your needs, and list a variety of both space-grade aluminium manufacturers and service providers who can acquire, design, and develop with the material to develop space hardware.

If you’re familiar with MS-certified space-grade aluminium sheets and would instead like to skip straight down to the information about the products on the market, please click here.

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Applications of space-grade aluminium sheets

AMS-certified aluminium has two main uses in space hardware:

Structural integrity – in components including satellite panels and load-bearing structures, such as struts.

In such components aluminium’s ability to provide a high strength-to-weight ratio makes it a very suitable material to cope with the extreme stresses of launch.

Thermal management – AMS-certified aluminium has excellent thermal conductivity which makes it suitable for thermal management applications such as heat shields and radiators.

Virtually all space hardware is subject to extreme temperatures during launch, deployment, and operations. Ensuring that critical components, particularly sensitive instrumentation, is protected from adverse impacts that result is very important to any mission.

In addition, heat generated by electronic components and instruments needs to be efficiently dissipated in order to ensure it doesn’t disrupt operations are affect sensitivity – this is another area where aluminium can be used.

In the next section we review some of the manufacturing choices that space engineers need to weigh up in order to select the most suitable aluminium product or source material for their next mission.

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Advice on selecting an MS-certified aluminium supplier

While it may seem simple to choose a supplier for MS-certified aluminium for a space mission, there are several factors to consider and decisions to make that will determine the best option.

Aside from the typical characteristics for a space-grade material (e.g. price, availability/lead time, country of origin, payment terms etc.) here are 4 key factors to take into account:

Alloys

AMS-certified aluminium sheets are made from advanced alloys that provide enhanced performance, depending on the defining criteria of your application. Here are 3 of the most common alloy options:

• 7075 aluminium alloy – known for its high strength-to-weight ratio, this alloy is widely used in aerospace applications. It offers excellent stress resistance and fatigue strength, making it suitable for structural components.
• 6061 aluminium alloy – this versatile alloy provides good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. It is used in several aerospace structures and components.
• 2024 aluminium alloy – with good strength and excellent fatigue resistance, this alloy is ideal for high stress applications in spacecraft.

Surface treatments

Alongside the decision of the core alloy, you’ll also need to determine whether any particular surface treatments are required in order to adjust the performance and behaviour of your aluminium components.

Various surface treatments are available that can enhance the durability and performance of aluminium sheets, such as:

• Anodizing – this electrochemical process increases the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the aluminium surface, improving corrosion resistance and wear properties.
• Alodine coating – chemical treatment that enhances corrosion resistance and provides a good base for paint adhesion.

Manufacturing requirements

For space-grade aluminium, high-precision manufacturing processes can be utilized that ensure the quality and reliability of the finished product, for example:

• Cold rolling – this process enhances the mechanical properties of the aluminium sheet, providing uniform thickness and improved surface finish.
• Heat treatment – heat treatments such as T6 and T651 tempering improve the strength and hardness of aluminium alloys, making them suitable for critical aerospace applications.

Customization options

While space-grade aluminium sheets are often purchased in certain off-the-shelf options, it may be possible to customize and optimize properties for specific applications. Here are some of the customization options you may wish to consider:

• Size (area and thickness)
• Shape
• Packing for transit
• Thermal protection
• Corrosion resistance
• Durability/wearing properties
• Coating/paint adhesion
• Strength
• Hardness
• Ductility

Now that we have reviewed some of the key criteria that engineers typically consider when selecting an aluminium provider for their needs, next we share options available on the market today.

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MS-certified space-grade aluminium sheets on the global market

This section includes a variety of aluminium sheets available on the global market today, and the services of suppliers and manufacturers who can acquire and develop with them. Click on the links to open pages with more detail on each system or manufacturer.

From these pages you can submit requests for quotes, documents, or further information by the supplier, and we’ll handle the request for you (find out more about how this all works here).

If you want to shortcut this process, or need some assistance refining either your specific aluminium sheets or more general space-grade materials requirements, you can instead submit an open tender and our expert procurement team will get back to you ASAP.

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Resources and further reading

At the links below you can find a range of satsearch articles that will be useful for learning more about this topic, or that feature other categories of technologies which you may need to consider in your mission.

• Satellite electrical power systems (EPS) on the global market
• CubeSat thrusters and in-space propulsion
• Software-defined radios (SDRs) for space
• Control moment gyroscopes
• On-board computers (OBCs) for space
• Optical payloads for space
• Satellite software providers on the global market
• Payload processors for satellites
• A brief introduction to the space supply chain