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 Solar Orbiter, due to launch in 2017, will carry a range of instruments in order to conduct high-resolution imaging of the Sun

The main body of the spacecraft takes cover behind a

heatshield

. slightly more than a quarter of the distance to Earth. The temperatures will be as high as 520 degree C

"To go on absorbing sunlight, then convert it into infrared to radiate back out to space, its surface material needs to maintain constant 'thermo-optical properties' - keep the same colour despite years of exposure to extreme ultraviolet radiation

, the shield cannot shed material or outgas vapour, because of the risk of contaminating Solar Orbiter's highly sensitive instruments

has to avoid any build-up of static charge in the solar wind because that might threaten a disruptive or even destructive discharge,"

Andrew Norman, a materials technology specialist

The engineers ruled out carbon fiber fabric, their first choice, as it is a light polymer.

s company makes titanium medical implants. They use the CoBlast technique that is best suited for reactive metals like titanium, aluminium and stainless steel, basically metals that have a surface of oxide layer.

also include a second 'dopant' material possessing whatever characteristics are needed

spray the metal surface with abrasive material to grit-blast this layer of

simultaneously takes the place of the oxide layer being stripped out,

the new layer gets bonded and effectively becomes a part of the metal. The company will apply 'Solar Black', to the outer titanium sheet of the probe's multi layered heatshield

Solar Black is a type of black calcium phosphate that is developed from burnt bone charcoal.