Startup's Revolutionary 'Space Armor' Set for Historic In-Orbit Test on SpaceX Mission This Year
A groundbreaking innovation in space safety is set to take flight as Georgia-based startup Atomic-6 prepares to launch its cutting-edge Space Armor tiles into orbit. This cutting-edge technology promises to revolutionize spacecraft, satellite, and astronaut protection against high-speed debris strikes, offering a much-needed upgrade to the 1940s-era technology currently in use.
Portal Space Systems has chosen Atomic-6's Space Armor as the micrometeoroid and orbital debris shield for its spacecraft, which will be launched on SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission in October. This marks a significant milestone as the spacecraft will be the first to be equipped with these advanced protective tiles, addressing the growing concern of space debris threatening valuable assets in Earth's orbit.
"Five years ago, the idea of thousands of satellites in orbit was unimaginable," Atomic-6 CEO Trevor Smith told Gizmodo. "Necessity has driven innovation, and now, as space debris becomes a pressing issue, we're witnessing a surge in these protective measures."
A suit of armor for space
Atomic-6 developed its Space Armor tiles through a $1.2 million Small Business Innovation Research grant funded by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. The goal was to create a novel solution for space debris protection.
Most spacecraft currently rely on the Whipple shield, a 1940s invention by astronomer Fred Whipple. While effective, the Whipple shield is showing its age, unable to withstand the stresses of a rapidly expanding space industry that is littering Earth's orbit with metallic debris.
Space Armor tiles offer a unique advantage: they are not made of metal. This design choice makes them significantly thinner, measuring less than an inch thick, which is approximately 15% thinner than the Whipple aluminum shields. The most remarkable feature, however, is their ability to prevent the creation of secondary orbital debris.
"When a Whipple shield is hit, it ejects metal, generating more debris than the original projectile," Smith explained. "Our Space Armor not only stops the projectile but also minimizes secondary debris creation."
Atomic-6 has developed two versions of the tiles: Space Armor Lite, designed to protect against particles 3 millimeters or smaller, and Space Armor Max, capable of withstanding impacts from debris up to 12.5 millimeters in diameter.
The majority of space debris in low Earth orbit is around 3 millimeters in size. These tiny particles, traveling at high speeds, are impossible to track, making it impossible for spacecraft to maneuver to avoid them. Such impacts often go unnoticed but can cause significant damage.
In November 2025, China's Shenzhou-20 spacecraft was struck by a small piece of debris, believed to be around 1 millimeter wide. Despite its minuscule size, the impact caused enough damage to prevent the astronauts from returning to the spacecraft.
"Space Armor is designed to protect against the unknown," Smith emphasized.
Space test and beyond
While Atomic-6 has conducted ground tests on the Space Armor tiles, the upcoming SpaceX mission will provide the first opportunity to observe their performance in the harsh space environment.
Portal Space Systems will utilize a camera to monitor the tiles on its spacecraft, aiming to capture the tiles in action during a potential impact. "I hope they get struck, but in the tile," Smith said. "Then we can visually confirm the impact and verify that no systems were damaged."
Following the in-orbit demonstration, Atomic-6 aims to expand the applications of Space Armor. The technology can be applied to astronaut suits for protection during spacewalks and to orbiting space stations. Additionally, the company has received inquiries from lunar infrastructure companies interested in using Space Armor to build protective boxes for payloads destined for the Moon.
"Once Space Armor undergoes qualifications, we'll be able to protect human-rated spacecraft and private space stations," Smith concluded.
