Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	(1) Description of Business and Basis of Presentation *Nature of Business* Aspen Aerogels, Inc. (the Company) is an energy technology company that designs, develops and manufactures innovative, high-performance aerogel insulation. The Company also conducts research and development related to aerogel technology supported by funding from several agencies of the U.S. government and other institutions in the form of research and development contracts. The Company maintains its corporate offices in Northborough, Massachusetts. The Company has two wholly owned subsidiaries: Aspen Aerogels Rhode Island, LLC and Aspen Aerogels Germany, GmbH. *Unaudited Interim Financial Information* The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Certain information and disclosures normally included in the consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. As such, the information included in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 (the Annual Report), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2016. In the opinion of the Company’s management, the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments that are of a normal recurring nature and necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2016 and the results of its operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015 and the cash flows for the six month periods then ended. The Company has evaluated events through the date of this filing. The results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016 or any other period. There have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies described in the Annual Report that have had a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto. *Principles of Consolidation* The accompanying consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

(1) Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

Nature of Business

Aspen Aerogels, Inc. (the Company) is an energy technology company that designs, develops and manufactures innovative, high-performance aerogel insulation. The Company also conducts research and development related to aerogel technology supported by funding from several agencies of the U.S. government and other institutions in the form of research and development contracts.

The Company maintains its corporate offices in Northborough, Massachusetts. The Company has two wholly owned subsidiaries: Aspen Aerogels Rhode Island, LLC and Aspen Aerogels Germany, GmbH.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Certain information and disclosures normally included in the consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. As such, the information included in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 (the Annual Report), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2016.

In the opinion of the Company’s management, the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments that are of a normal recurring nature and necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2016 and the results of its operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015 and the cash flows for the six month periods then ended. The Company has evaluated events through the date of this filing.

The results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016 or any other period.

There have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies described in the Annual Report that have had a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.