SUCCESS IN SPACE.

Advanced composites present spacecraft designers with many advantages over more conventional materials, but can create their own special problems. This article examines the role of composites in space, and the challenge they present to space systems designers. Composites are now the leading candidates not just for saving weight but also for increasing systems' performance. Their high specific strengths and stiffnesses, together with their low coefficients of thermal expansion make them very attractive for high-precision space structures. The long-term durability of composites in the space environment is therefore arousing much interest.