𝜶STRID™ Samples Launch to the International Space Station for Orbital Exposure Test
- Warren Su
- Oct 28
- 2 min read
Los Angeles, CA — SQUID3 Space is proud to announce that its 𝜶STRID™ samples are en route to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard JAXA’s HTV-X1 spacecraft, carrying the MISSE-21 (Materials International Space Station Experiment) platform. The vehicle is scheduled to dock with the ISS on Wednesday October 29, 2025 at 08:50 AM PST.
𝜶STRID™, SQUID3 Space’s software-reconfigurable radiator tape, will undergo a six-month exposure on the exterior of ISS. This mission will characterize 𝜶STRID's long-term thermo-optical stability under the harsh conditions of space — including atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, and thermal cycling. The resulting data will help minimize degradation and improve the reliability of advanced thermal control materials for future spacecraft.
Among the test articles are E Ink materials, a promising new class of smart surfaces for next-generation spacecraft thermal control systems — and now flying to space for the first time. The experiment will collect in-orbit performance data to help advance the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 to TRL 7.
Following docking, NASA and Aegis Aerospace, operator of the MISSE platform, are expected to install the payload carrier on the ISS exterior in late December 2025. The samples will remain exposed for approximately six months before returning to Earth for detailed post-flight analysis.
SQUID3 Space’s participation in MISSE-21 marks another step in its mission to explore novel materials that redefine spacecraft thermal capabilities. For decades, the space industry has relied on the same polymeric materials — Teflon, Kapton, and Mylar — first adopted in the 1970s. SQUID3 believes it’s time to move beyond these legacy materials and bring new generations of materials into orbit.
About SQUID3 Space
Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA, SQUID3 Space is an aerospace and defense technology company specializing in spacecraft materials manufacturing and AI/ML integrations. The company’s customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Space Force, and U.S. Army, as well as industry partners across the aerospace and defense sectors.