When Columbia Sportswear developed its proprietary Omni-Heat insulation based on NASA technology to help hikers survive extreme conditions, you'd have been forgiven for thinking that shiny lining was just a gimmick. Now the brand is getting the chance to show exactly what stuff Omni-Heat is made of – by sending it back to the moon.
When the Athena spacecraft launches from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on February 26, it will be dressed in the same reflective foil that we've loved in winter hiking gear like the Columbia Arch Rock Double Wall Elite Insulated Jacket. Made from an expanded pattern of metallic dots, Omni-Heat Infinity reflects your body heat back to you when you add it to the lining of a base layer or puffer jacket. When you add it to a spacecraft, it helps protect it against the extreme cold temperatures found in outer space, where it can be as low as -250° Fahrenheit.
The Portland brand's patented Omni-Shade Sun Deflector technology will also be on board to help keep the spacecraft safe from searing temperatures of up to +250°F. Omni-Shade is used in Columbia's warm weather gear like the Silver Ridge Utility Pants to provide UV protection and will be integrated into an insulation blanket covering the top deck of the lander to help deflect solar radiation and prevent overheating.
This isn't the first time the brand's first foray into space. Just over a year ago, it was used on the IM-1 lunar mission, helping to protect the first-ever private spacecraft to land on the moon.
“Through this scientific partnership, we have been able to stretch the boundaries of material and product testing to the furthest frontiers, reinforcing our commitment to delivering some of the most innovative outdoor solutions in the world," says Dr. Haskell Beckham, Vice President of Innovation at Columbia Sportswear.
The goal of the mission to the moon’s south pole is to drill into the surface in search of lunar ice, a feat that has never been attempted. If all goes to plan, we should know in about 10 days how the mission – and insulation – works out.
Curious about Columbia's Omni-Heat's ability to protect you from the elements here on Earth? Check out some of our favorite Columbia gear using this technology:
