Space industry giants visit fabrics factory

Four people wearing high-viz vests examine yarn from which parachute material is made, which is on big spools on a table. To the right a pair of hands can be seen while in the background is panelling and yellow shelves as well as a large door.

Image source, HFL/SCMImage caption,

Representatives from Nasa and Space X were among attendees at the Devon factory

ByCharlotte CoxBBC Devon

Published17 June 2026

Nasa and Elon Musk's Space X were among industry giants to visit a factory which provides parachute material for cosmic exploration.

Heathcoat Fabrics in Tiverton, Devon has been instrumental in supplying materials to slow down spacecraft as they land on a planet or return to Earth.

Also among delegates for the parachute engineering conference was Blue Origin - known for the all-female spaceflight in April 2025 during which the factory's fabrics were used.

Peter Hill, director at Heathcoat Fabrics, said: "We're proud to be putting Devon on the map as a hub for space innovation."

Historic Devon factory makes space going fabric

16/06/2026

Listen on Sounds Huge reels of yarn are seen stacked on spools to the right while on the left delegates examine them.

Image source, HFL/SCMImage caption,

The firm is also creating parachutes to bring pharmaceuticals developed in space back down to Earth

Hill added: "This is a chance to showcase the incredible work our team does to support missions that push the boundaries of human achievement."

He said the firm had a "long association" with making parachute fabric which dates back to before World War Two and has progressed through to missions to Mars.

"More and more companies are taking things to space and need to bring them back again," he added.

He said this includes pharmaceuticals which need to be manufactured in micro-gravity conditions before being parachuted to Earth.

"We're working with the MOD and the US Department of Defence on chemical warfare protection - protective clothing and lightweight parachute systems."

He said they would continue to focus on innovation to "meet the needs of an evolving market".

Rob Sinclair from Blue Origin attended the conference., external

He said: "We've had Gayle King and Katy Perry come back safely to Earth with parachutes using fabric that was made right here in Devon."

A seated group of people are in a room looking toward a big screen at the back with a speaker standing in front.

Image source, HFL/SCMImage caption,

The parachute engineering conference was held in London before delegates headed to Devon

Clara O'Farrell from the Jet Propulsion Lab in Nasa, said the fabric firm had been key to its missions.

She said she had had the "great fortune" of being part of the team to have landed the Mars Persevereance Rover.

O'Farrell added: "We partnered with the guys here to manufacture the fabric that we used to assemble the parachute that successfully landed that Rover on Mars.

"We hope to continue that partnership in future space missions."

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