Recent growth in space systems has seen increasing capabilities packed into smaller and lighter Earth observation and deep space mission spacecraft. Phase-change materials (PCMs) are nonvolatile, reconfigurable, fast-switching, and have recently shown a high degree of space radiation tolerance, thereby making them an attractive materials platform for spaceborne photonics applications. They promise robust, lightweight, and energy-efficient reconfigurable optical systems whose functions can be dynamically defined on-demand and on-orbit to deliver enhanced science or mission support in harsh environments on lean power budgets. This comment aims to discuss the recent advances in rapidly growing PCM research and its potential to transition from conventional terrestrial optoelectronics materials platforms to versatile spaceborne photonic materials platforms for current and next-generation space and science missions. Materials International Space Station Experiment-14 (MISSE-14) mission-flown PCMs outside of the International Space Station (ISS) and key results and NASA examples are highlighted to provide strong evidence of the applicability of spaceborne photonics.

近年来，空间系统的发展使得更小、更轻的地球观测和深空任务航天器的功能不断增加。相变材料（PCM）具有非易失性、可重构、快速切换的特点，并且最近表现出高度的空间辐射耐受性，从而使其成为星载光子学应用中有吸引力的材料平台。他们承诺提供坚固、轻便、节能的可重构光学系统，其功能可以按需和在轨动态定义，从而在恶劣环境中以精益的功率预算提供增强的科学或任务支持。本评论旨在讨论快速发展的 PCM 研究的最新进展及其从传统地面光电材料平台过渡到用于当前和下一代空间和科学任务的多功能星载光子材料平台的潜力。材料国际空间站实验 14 (MISSE-14) 在国际空间站 (ISS) 之外执行飞行任务的 PCM 以及关键结果和 NASA 示例均得到重点介绍，为星载光子学的适用性提供了有力的证据。