NeXolve

NeXolve, now operating as a product line within Applied Aerospace & Defense, is a materials science and engineering company specializing in the research, development, and manufacture of polyimide and polyimide-based thin film structures. Founded in 2009 and located in Huntsville, Alabama, the company focuses on advanced polymer materials for demanding applications across multiple industries, including aerospace, electronics, medical, and oil & gas. NeXolve’s core competencies lie in creating extremely thin, space-durable films – down to 2 microns – and designing deployable space structures.

A key technological capability is the production of reflective polyimide film utilized in solar sail and drag sail applications, alongside expertise in deployable booms and sunshield technologies. NeXolve supports projects from concept through to flight hardware, offering analytical services including material characterization via tensile, spectroscopic, and thermal analysis, as well as environmental qualification testing. Notably, the company contributed to the James Webb Space Telescope Sunshield Membrane Assembly, demonstrating its capabilities in complex deployable space systems.

NeXolve has a long history of collaboration with NASA, the Department of Defense, and the commercial sector, spanning over 40 years. Through its acquisition by Applied Aerospace & Defense, the company aims to combine its polymer expertise with larger-scale manufacturing capabilities, strengthening its position as a supplier of advanced materials for both space and terrestrial applications.