Space blanket
A
"space blanket" is a
blanket designed to be used in
emergency situations to reduce heat loss from a person's body. The blanket consists of a thin sheet of
plastic material (often
PET film) that is coated with a
metallic
reflecting agent, usually gold or silver in color, which reflects about 80% of the wearer's
radiated body heat back to him or her.
[http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/FAQ_SpaceBlankets.htm] In the US, space blankets are made by vacuum depositing a very precise amount of pure aluminum vapor onto a very thin, durable film substrate. Space blankets are included in many emergency, first aid, and survival kits because they are usually waterproof and windproof. That, along with the light weight of space blankets, have made them popular among outdoor enthusiasts and emergency workers. The first space blanket was designed in 1964 for the US space program.
