Kapton is an aromatic polyimide with outstanding thermal and dielectric properties. It can do things few other plastics can do, like withstand temperatures from nearly absolute zero to 400 °C.

The shield's dimensions are 21.2m by 14.2m. Its five layers are made from kapton, a polyimide film coated with aluminium It is the size of a tennis court and next year it will go into orbit as ...