A major aerospace manufacturer recently contacted Protective Packaging to provide protection for the fairing halves of a rocket as it was transported across the country.

1. Protective Packaging Corporation Packages Rocket Fairing for Transport
A major aerospace manufacturer recently contacted Protective Packaging to
provide protection for the fairing halves of a rocket as it was transported across the
country.
Protective Packaging Corporation was recently contacted by a large aerospace
manufacturer to preserve the fairing halves of a rocket to be used in their next space
launch. (The fairing is the large clamshell portion of the rocket that carries the rocket’s
payload - like the capsule recently used to resupply the International Space Station.)
The company was shipping the fairing from California to Florida for the launch, and
wanted it to arrive in pristine condition. The 45 ft. long, 17 ft. high fairing had to be
transported via a flatbed truck, and the 3200 mile journey would expose the fairing to a
variety of weather conditions, dust, and road debris.
The consulting team at Protective Packaging proposed a flexible packaging solution that
included Protect ESD (a static shielding barrier material certified to MIL-PRF-81705
specifications), heat shrink film and both 16 unit and 80 unit Montmorillonite clay as
desiccant.
Protective Packaging’s on-site packaging professionals were dispatched to the customer’s
facilities in California to package the fairing. First, the team padded sharp corners and
lined the interior of each half of the fairing with desiccant. Next, each half was lowered
by crane onto sheets of Protect ESD and heat shrink material. Protect ESD was pulled
around the shell to form a large bag, then vacuum sealed to create an air tight enclosure.
The final step was to wrap each half of the fairing with the shrink wrap, and heat the
wrap to create a form fitting outer layer.
“The fairing arrived in Florida perfectly preserved and ready for the launch,” said Jim
Hiller, Senior Vice President of Protective Packaging. “Protecting the units before
transport meant that they did not require any additional cleaning or costly refurbishment.”
About Protective Packaging
Protective Packaging Corporation produces barrier bags for corrosion prevention and
static shielding during shipping and storage. With over 25 years of developing packaging
solutions with the US military, Protective Packaging Corporation carries a wide range of
mil-spec compliant barrier materials available in rolls, sheets, tubes and bags. The
company’s packaging consultants assist customers in addressing flexible packaging
solutions for shipping needs, from protecting cargo during shipment to preserving items
during long-term storage. For more information on Protective Packaging Corporation,
visit http://www.protectivepackaging.net.