Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [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 aerogel technology company that designs, develops and manufactures innovative, high-performance aerogel insulation used primarily in the energy infrastructure and building materials markets. In addition, the Company is developing high value applications for its aerogel technology in the electric vehicle market. The Company also conducts research related to aerogel technology supported by funding from several agencies of the U.S. government and other institutions in the form of research contracts. The Company has decided to cease efforts to secure additional funded research contracts and to wind down existing contract research activities. The Company maintains its corporate offices in Northborough, Massachusetts. The Company has three wholly owned subsidiaries: Aspen Aerogels Rhode Island, LLC, Aspen Aerogels Germany, GmbH and Aspen Aerogels Georgia, LLC. Liquidity During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company incurred a net loss of $15.6 million and used $4.8 million of cash in operations. On February 18, 2020, the Company received net proceeds of $14.8 million upon the completion of an underwritten public offering of the Company’s common stock. On May 4, 2020, Aspen Aerogels Rhode Island, LLC received loan proceeds of $3.7 million upon the execution of a promissory note pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) (see note 7). The Company had cash and cash equivalents of $11.3 million, total debt of $3.7 million and no outstanding borrowings under its revolving line of credit as of September 30, 2020 (see note 8). After giving effect to $1.4 million of outstanding letters of credit, the amount available to the Company at September 30, 2020 under the revolving line of credit was $8.1 million. The existing revolving line of credit matures on April 28, 2021. The Company is increasing investment in the research and development of next-generation aerogel products and manufacturing process technologies. The Company is developing aerogel products and technologies for the electric vehicle market. The commercial potential for the Company’s technology in the electric vehicle market is significant and could require the Company to hire additional personnel, incur additional operating expenses, and incur capital expenditures to expand aerogel manufacturing capacity, build an automated fabrication operation, and meet automotive quality system requirements, among other items. The Company expects its existing cash balance and the amount anticipated to be available under the existing revolving line of credit will be sufficient to support current operating requirements and research and development activities. However, the Company plans to supplement its cash balance and available credit with debt financings, customer prepayments, technology licensing fees or equity financings to provide the capital necessary to fund the evolving commercial opportunity in the electric vehicle market and other strategic business opportunities. 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, 2019 (the Annual Report), filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 6, 2020. 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 September 30, 2020 and the results of its operations and stockholders’ equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 and the cash flows for the nine month periods then ended. The Company has evaluated subsequent events through the date of this filing. The Company’s results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020 or any other period. In addition, the Company is uncertain of the ultimate duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent global oil market volatility, and the impact they will have on the Company’s results of operations for the year ending December 31, 2020 or any other period.

Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [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 aerogel technology company that designs, develops and manufactures innovative, high-performance aerogel insulation used primarily in the energy infrastructure and building materials markets. In addition, the Company is developing high value applications for its aerogel technology in the electric vehicle market. The Company also conducts research related to aerogel technology supported by funding from several agencies of the U.S. government and other institutions in the form of research contracts. The Company has decided to cease efforts to secure additional funded research contracts and to wind down existing contract research activities.

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

Liquidity

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company incurred a net loss of $15.6 million and used $4.8 million of cash in operations. On February 18, 2020, the Company received net proceeds of $14.8 million upon the completion of an underwritten public offering of the Company’s common stock. On May 4, 2020, Aspen Aerogels Rhode Island, LLC received loan proceeds of $3.7 million upon the execution of a promissory note pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) (see note 7). The Company had cash and cash equivalents of $11.3 million, total debt of $3.7 million and no outstanding borrowings under its revolving line of credit as of September 30, 2020 (see note 8). After giving effect to $1.4 million of outstanding letters of credit, the amount available to the Company at September 30, 2020 under the revolving line of credit was $8.1 million. The existing revolving line of credit matures on April 28, 2021.

The Company is increasing investment in the research and development of next-generation aerogel products and manufacturing process technologies. The Company is developing aerogel products and technologies for the electric vehicle market. The commercial potential for the Company’s technology in the electric vehicle market is significant and could require the Company to hire additional personnel, incur additional operating expenses, and incur capital expenditures to expand aerogel manufacturing capacity, build an automated fabrication operation, and meet automotive quality system requirements, among other items.

The Company expects its existing cash balance and the amount anticipated to be available under the existing revolving line of credit will be sufficient to support current operating requirements and research and development activities. However, the Company plans to supplement its cash balance and available credit with debt financings, customer prepayments, technology licensing fees or equity financings to provide the capital necessary to fund the evolving commercial opportunity in the electric vehicle market and other strategic business opportunities.

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, 2019 (the Annual Report), filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 6, 2020.

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 September 30, 2020 and the results of its operations and stockholders’ equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 and the cash flows for the nine month periods then ended. The Company has evaluated subsequent events through the date of this filing.

The Company’s results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020 or any other period. In addition, the Company is uncertain of the ultimate duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent global oil market volatility, and the impact they will have on the Company’s results of operations for the year ending December 31, 2020 or any other period.