Beta Cloth

Beta cloth is a type of fireproof silica fiber cloth used in the manufacture of Apollo/Skylab A7L space suits and in other specialized applications.

Beta cloth consists of fine woven silica fiber, similar to fiberglass. The resulting fabric will not burn, and will melt only at temperatures exceeding 650 °C. To reduce its tendency to crease or tear when manipulated, and to increase durability, the fibers may be coated with Teflon.

Beta cloth was developed by a Manned Spacecraft Center team led by Frederick S. Dawn and including Matthew I. Radofsky working with the Dow-Corning Company. It was implemented in NASA space suits after the deadly 1967 Apollo 1 launch pad fire, in which the astronauts' nylon suits burned through. The fire-resistant Beta cloth was among changes to make the Apollo spacecraft and systems safer in the event of a similar situation.

Fabric

Woven	Aertex Airdura Airguard Barathea Barkcloth Batiste Bedford cord Bengaline silk Beta cloth Bombazine Brilliantine Broadcloth Buckram Bunting Burlap C change Calico Cambric Canvas Chambray Capilene Cedar bark Char cloth Charmeuse Charvet Cheesecloth Chiffon Chino Chintz Cloqué Cloth of gold Cordura Duck Coutil Crape Cretonne Dazzle Denim Dimity Donegal tweed Dowlas Drill Drugget Foulard Flannel Gabardine Gauze Gazar Georgette Ghalamkar Gingham Grenadine Grenfell Cloth Grosgrain Habutai Haircloth Harris Tweed Herringbone Himroo Hodden Irish linen Jamdani Kerseymere Khādī Khaki drill Kente cloth Lamé Lawn Linsey-woolsey Loden Longcloth Lumalive Mackinaw Madapolam Madras Moleskin Muslin Nainsook Nankeen Ninon Oilskin Organdy Organza Osnaburg Ottoman Oxford Paduasoy Percale Pongee Poplin Rakematiz Rayadillo Rep Rinzu Ripstop Russell cord Saga Nishiki Samite Sateen Satin Saye Scarlet Seersucker Serge Scrim Shot silk Stuff Taffeta Tais Toile Tucuyo Tweed Twill Ultrasuede Ventile Vinyl coated polyester Viyella Voile Wadmal Wigan Whipcord Zephyr Zorbeez

Figured woven	Brocade Camlet Damask Lampas Songket

Pile woven	Baize Chenille Corduroy Crimplene Fustian Mockado Moquette Plush Polar fleece Terrycloth Velours du Kasaï Velvet Velveteen Zibeline

Nonwoven	Felt Cedar bark

Knitted	Boiled wool Coolmax Machine knitting Milliskin Jersey Velour

Netted	Bobbinet Carbon fiber Fishnet Lace Mesh Needlerun Net Ninon Tulle

Technical	Ballistic nylon Ban-Lon Conductive Darlexx E-textiles Gannex Gore-Tex Silnylon Spandex Stub-tex SympaTex Windstopper

Patterns	Argyle Bizarre silk Herringbone Houndstooth Paisley Pin stripes Tartan (Plaid) Tattersall

Textile fibers	Acrylic Alpaca Angora Cashmere Coir Cotton Hemp Jute Kevlar Linen Mohair Nylon Microfiber Olefin Pashmina Polyester Piña Ramie Rayon Sea silk Silk Sisal Spandex Spider silk Wool

Finishing and printing	Androsia Batik Beetling Bingata Bògòlanfini Calendering Decatising Finishing Fulling Heatsetting Mercerization Moire Nap Rogan printing Rōketsuzome Roller printing Sanforization Tenterhook Textile printing Waxed cotton Woodblock printing Indienne

Related	Dyeing Fiber History of textiles History of silk Knitting Pandy Shrinkage Synthetic fabric Terminology Manufacturing Preservation Weaving Yarn

Apollo program hardware

vehicles	Apollo (spacecraft) Apollo Command/Service Module Apollo Lunar Module Lunar Escape Systems Lunar Roving Vehicle Saturn V

vehicle components	Apollo Abort Guidance System Apollo Guidance Computer Primary Guidance, Navigation and Control System Apollo Telescope Mount Apollo TV camera Saturn Launch Vehicle Digital Computer Descent Propulsion System Ascent Propulsion System

lunar surface operations	Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package Apollo/Skylab A7L (spacesuit) Beta cloth Lunar Laser Ranging experiment Modular Equipment Transporter

Earth-based	Crawler-transporter Little Joe II Lunar Landing Research Vehicle Mobile Launcher Platform Mobile Quarantine Facility

symbolic	Lunar plaque Lunar Flag Assembly Fallen Astronaut

Category:Apollo program

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Famous quotes containing the word cloth:

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—Ursula K. Le Guin (b. 1929)