ESA Science & Technology - Fitting the high-temperature insulation

A technician installing a section of high-temperature thermal blanket on the BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter Structural and Thermal Model.

The outer layer of the high-temperature blankets is made from electrically non-conducting fabric; to control the build-up of electrostatic charge on the surface of the spacecraft, conducting threads have been woven through the outer layer every 10 cm. The separate parts of the outer blanket are hand-sewn together once they have been installed.