702-463-0808
Lighter. Stronger. Smarter. That’s the mission.
Launch vehicles face extreme demands from liftoff to orbit. Every component must balance strength, weight, and reliability under massive mechanical stress and thermal shock. That’s where advanced composites and prepregs step in.
These materials have become essential to next-generation launch systems. From structural skins to internal supports, composite parts reduce mass without sacrificing performance. In a world where every gram counts, that trade-off is rocket fuel for innovation.
Built for the Demands of Space
Space travel is unforgiving. During launch, vehicles endure intense vibration, fluctuating pressures, cryogenic temperatures, and violent acceleration. Traditional metals struggle to keep up without adding bulk.
Composite materials offer a better way. Makobond carbon fiber reinforced epoxies, BMI, Cyanate Ester, and other high-temperature prepreg systems combine low weight with high stiffness and fatigue resistance. They do not just survive the mission. They enable it.
Key Applications of Composites in Launch Vehicles
Payload Fairings
Fairings must be lightweight but rigid enough to protect delicate payloads through ascent. Composite sandwich structures with honeycomb cores provide strength without mass, helping reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency.
Motor Casings and Pressure Vessels
Solid rocket motors and pressurant tanks demand high hoop strength. Carbon fiber epoxy systems and filament-wound composites handle intense internal pressures while shedding unnecessary weight.
Interstages and Adapters
These structural links connect vehicle segments while absorbing load shifts during staging. Composite interstages offer a favorable stiffness-to-weight ratio and reduce vibration transmission to the upper stages.
Thermal Protection Systems
Prepregs with specialty resins can withstand extreme heat generated during launch and re-entry. When layered into ablative or insulative panels, they guard critical components from thermal shock.
Why Prepregs Matter
Pre-impregnated fabrics provide exact resin content and fiber alignment, making them ideal for aerospace-grade performance. Manufacturers gain greater control over part weight, thickness, and uniformity-critical factors for launch vehicle precision.
Makobond prepreg systems are engineered for repeatability and clean processing. Whether used in autoclave, oven, or out-of-autoclave cure, these materials enable consistent quality from prototype to production.
Material Systems Built for Launch
MAKO Advanced Materials offers resin systems and prepregs developed to meet the high-performance demands of space and aerospace applications:
- High-temperature epoxy systems for structural composites
- Makobond BMI (Bismaleimide) for higher service temperature and BMI tooling
- Toughened resins with excellent fatigue resistance
- Out-of-autoclave cure options for cost-effective builds
- Makobond prepregs are compatible with carbon, glass, aramid and hybrid fabrics
Each system is optimized for mechanical performance, thermal stability, and lightweight construction - essential traits for any launch-critical component.
Lifting Off with Confidence
Composite materials are not optional in modern launch vehicle design. They are essential. With every mission pushing the limits of speed, payload, and endurance, the need for high-performance prepregs and engineered resins has never been greater.
At MAKO, we help aerospace teams select the right material solutions for structures that deliver under pressure. Whether you are prototyping a nanosat launcher or scaling for orbital delivery, Makobond is ready for lift-off.
Need support for your next aerospace composite build? Our team can help you choose the right system for strength, precision, and flight-tested performance.
