Abstract: Both the atomic oxygen and the ultraviolet irradiation in space affect the mechanical properties of the non-metallic materials being used. Materials in spacecraft are subjected to the combined effects of the space environment during their operation in orbit. This paper studies the nylon material and its different structural forms under the synergistic effects of the atomic oxygen and the ultraviolet irradiation. The test results show that the material will degrade greatly under the action of the ultraviolet radiation and the atomic oxygen; the synergistic effect of the atomic oxygen and the ultraviolet radiation has a damaging effect on the mechanical properties of nylon single-layer materials; the penetration resistance of multi-layer nylon is weakened by the ultraviolet irradiation. The mechanical properties of two typical structural types of nylon fabric materials under the synergistic effect of the atomic oxygen and the ultraviolet radiation are analyzed. Better mechanical properties of the ‘warp structure’ test pieces are found.