Multiband infrared camouflage metamaterial coatings for low Earth orbit spacecraft

This work presents a composite infrared camouflage coating for low Earth orbit (LEO) spacecraft, integrating multiband infrared stealth, narrowband laser suppression, and enhanced radiative heat dissipation within a unified framework. The proposed “metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) micrograting + molybdenum/silicon (Mo/Si) multilayer” structure achieves low emissivity (0.21 in MWIR, 0.27 in LWIR), high emissivity (0.56 in 5–8 µm), and strong absorption (0.91 at 10.6 µm). Interfacial risk analysis identifies the TiN/top Si interface as the primary reliability bottleneck, with deep-cold conditions as the most critical thermal phase. These results provide guidance for material selection, fabrication, and durability optimization for future spacecraft coatings.