Prof. Narayan was born in Chennai, India and received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2011. Subsequently, he was a postdoctoral research associate and a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From 2015 he has been a faculty member at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering.

2025 NASA Symp

Redefining multilayer insulation: electrospun nanofibers for lightweight thermal insulation in space

Porous electrospun polymers offer a transformative alternative to traditional metal-film multilayer insulation for thermal control in space. By studying light scattering and infrared emission from the fibers, we design ultralight coatings with extreme solar reflectance and high thermal emittance. This talk presents the predictive framework to guide their design and the experimental validation of such materials. We also discuss ongoing efforts to mature this concept toward higher technology readiness level for future cryogenic storage and passive thermal management in space.