A team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a new origami-inspired shield that could protect spacecraft from the extreme temperatures and pressures of reentering the Earth’s atmosphere. The new shield is made of lightweight, folded layers that are designed to expand and contract during reentry, allowing it to absorb and dissipate the energy of the impact. The researchers believe that this origami-inspired design could significantly reduce the cost of reentry, making space exploration and space travel much more affordable.

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source: Phys.org