Low friction coatings tech news
On July 11, 2026, OrbitGlide Materials announced the commercial launch of "Star--Slick X1," a vacuum--rated low--friction coating engineered for satellite deployment mechanisms and space--bound actuators. The coating utilizes a silver--doped diamond--like carbon (DLC) matrix that provides consistent self--lubrication across extreme thermal gradients ranging from --150°C to +200°C. By maintaining a friction coefficient of 0.05 in high--vacuum environments, the technology prevents mechanical seizure and "cold--welding" of critical components, ensuring the reliable unfolding of solar arrays and communication reflectors in low Earth orbit (LEO).