| Gold is one of the most precious metals in the world | | | | Without this, the vehicle would absorb too much |
| and has always been a symbol of wealth and luxury. | | | | heat, making it difficult to operate. Gold sheets with |
| It has been in use for centuries for different | | | | thickness of around 0.15 millimeters are used as a |
| purposes such as jewelery, gold coins, dentistry, | | | | radiation sheet as they effectively reflect the light of |
| biology and manufacturing. It fetches a high price in | | | | the sun. Gold is also used as a lubricant between the |
| the market, and the rate of gold is an important part | | | | various mechanical parts of the spacecraft. If any |
| of the world's economy. | | | | other lubricant was used, it would not have |
| Gold has a number of characteristics that make it an | | | | withstood the radiation in space and would have |
| extremely useful metal for many uses other than | | | | volatilized. Since gold is very malleable and ductile, it is |
| creation of beautiful jewelery. It is an excellent | | | | easy to create very thin gold sheets that are used |
| electrical conductor and is very malleable and ductile. | | | | as lubricants between parts of metal. |
| Moreover, it has good resistance to corrosion and | | | | Gold is also used in the helmets worn by astronauts. |
| has good thermal conductivity as well. All these | | | | A very thin layer of gold is electroplated into the |
| characteristics make it essential for use in a number | | | | inside of the visor which prevents harmful solar |
| of electronic products. | | | | radiation from entering and reflects it back. In this |
| The significance of gold in space travel cannot be | | | | way, it protects the vision of the astronauts. |
| denied. It is used in a number of ways in all space | | | | Gold is significant in space travel and since space |
| crafts and it would not be wrong to say that without | | | | travel has increased over the years, so has the |
| the use of gold, man could not have visited the | | | | demand for gold. It is used in almost all space vehicles |
| moon. When building a spacecraft, it is important to | | | | designed by NASA which are worth billions of dollars. |
| note that once it has been launched in space, there is | | | | In the construction of the popular US Columbia Space |
| minimum possibility of repair or lubrication. Thus, highly | | | | Shuttle, around forty eight kilogram's of gold was |
| dependable materials have to be used in their | | | | used for objects such as reflectors, conductors and |
| manufacturing such as gold. | | | | in the brazing of alloys. |
| Gold is used in circuits that are fitted into the | | | | Although gold is an expensive element, its myriad |
| spacecrafts as it is an excellent conductor. Also, | | | | qualities make it vital in the use of space vehicles. |
| many parts of spacecrafts are fitted with gold | | | | Had it not been for gold, space travel might not have |
| coated polyester film that reflects infrared radiations, | | | | been such a successful mission as it is today. |
| and helps control the temperature inside the vehicle. | | | | |