NASA Has Explored Acrylic for Spacecraft Windows

Engineers are evaluating acrylic to replace fragile glass in future Artemis spacecraft windows.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Materials Science

Bold flat-color editorial illustration featuring a curved acrylic pane inside a minimalist test fixture, representing aerospace materials engineering. — NASA is testing acrylic materials as a replacement for traditional glass in Orion spacecraft windows to improve structural reliability during Artemis missions. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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NASA engineers at the Johnson Space Center are developing acrylic window designs for the Orion spacecraft to improve structural reliability during long-duration Artemis missions. This research seeks to mitigate the risks associated with glass, which is susceptible to static fatigue and shattering.

Why it matters

Replacing traditional glass with acrylic addresses structural failure risks, such as microscopic flaw growth, that threaten human-rated spacecraft windows. This development is crucial for maintaining vehicle integrity during the extended mission profiles required by the Artemis program.

Engineers are evaluating acrylic to replace glass because it behaves like a heat shield during reentry and avoids the sharp fragment risks posed by glass in pressurized cabins. Research focuses on eliminating static fatigue, a process where microscopic flaws in glass grow until structural failure occurs.

The players

NASA

A federal agency responsible for the U.S. civilian space program, advanced aeronautics research, and human spaceflight missions including Artemis.

Johnson Space Center

The NASA facility in Houston that leads the design, testing, and development of human-rated spacecraft systems and mission hardware.

The details

NASA is moving toward a fully acrylic design for the Orion spacecraft to replace glass, which is inherently fragile and prone to flaw propagation. Unlike glass, acrylic acts as an ablative barrier similar to a heat shield during atmospheric reentry. By shifting material properties, engineers aim to minimize the risk of fragmentation that could compromise pressurized structures in space.

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The Tech Race

This effort updates legacy aerospace standards for windows established by the International Space Station's seven-window Cupola module. It represents a pivot toward materials that prioritize structural safety over traditional glass transparency in deep-space environments.

These new material standards will first appear on the Orion spacecraft utilized during the upcoming Artemis lunar missions. Future human-rated landers will rely on these structural improvements to ensure cabin integrity for astronauts during long-duration flight phases.

The takeaway

NASA is working to transition away from glass to enhance the durability of crewed spacecraft. Watch for the forthcoming safety specifications for Artemis lunar lander windows, which will confirm the feasibility of these acrylic designs for future human-rated flight.