In 1969, the heat of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere reached nearly 3,000°C. Protecting the Apollo 11 astronauts from incinerating was a heat shield coated in a specialized resin—a resin developed by a young chemist from Inver, County Donegal.
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Peter Coyle as he approaches his 89th birthday. Despite being a self-described “small cog in a big wheel,” Peter’s work at Dow Chemical on Epoxy Novolac was a linchpin in the success of the Moon Shot. We trace his journey from the University of Minnesota to the inner circles of NASA’s technical suppliers, exploring a time when physical chemistry and human grit mattered more than the limited digital tools of the day.
What We Discuss:
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From South Donegal to the Space Race: The “spark” that led a young man from Inver to the United States in the 1950s and 60s.
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Engineering Under Pressure: Developing the heat shield resin without the aid of modern supercomputers and the daily atmosphere of the NASA-adjacent labs.
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The Apollo 11 Re-entry: The moment Peter realized his specific chemical formulations were the only thing standing between the astronauts and the vacuum of space.
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The Diplomacy of Pride: The story behind the 1969 visit of the U.S. Defense Attaché to Donegal to honor Peter’s mother, Florence Dunleavy.
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A View from 2026: How the man who helped build the foundations of space travel views the modern Artemis missions and the future of solar innovation.
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