Evaluating Polyimide Film Tape 7000X as a Cost-Effective Alternative to Kapton for CubeSat Coatings

The choice of coating material is essential for the structural integrity, thermal stability and the overall performance of Cubesats in Space or in the Atmosphere. Traditionally, kapton has been the material of choice due to its excellent thermal stability, electrical and mechanical properties as well as its resistance to harsh space environments. However, the recent emergence of a new material called Polyimide film tape 7000x which hails from the same origin material as kapton(Polyimide) is a much cheaper material which necessitates a comparative analysis to assess its suitability for CubeSat applications and its performance against Kapton. This study employs static structural, modal, and steady state thermal analyses using ANSYS simulations to compare the performance of CubeSats coated with Kapton and Polyimide Film Tape 7000x. Our findings suggest that the thermal advantages offered by Polyimide Film Tape 7000X are on par with that of kapton whereas it exceeds kapton by a minute margin in mechanical strength, This coupled with its significant cost savings must make it a viable alternative for Cubesat missions.