Thermal Protection System Testing in High Enthalpy Facility White Paper

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Thermal Protection System Testing in High
Enthalpy FacilityWhite Paper

• Richard French
• Vitaliy Grigoriev
• September 27, 2005

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TPS Study Description

• Construct rudimentary high enthalpy facility
• Obtain test materials, woods, ceramics,
  composites, metals
• Measure heating and regression rates for ablators
  and non-ablators

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TPS Study Justification

• CEV reusability
• Systems studies show only propulsion impacts cost
  and risk more than TPS
• Columbia failure illustrates need for reliable,
  cost-effective, reusable TPS

CEV Entry
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TPS Study Justification

• Advanced TPS concepts
• Undergraduates should understand aero-heating
  theory and experimental methods

AETB-8/TUFI 2nd Generation Ceramic TPS tile
ARMOR Metallic TPS Panel
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TPS Study Impact

• Undergraduate aerospace engineers will gain
  experience applying thermodynamic theory to a
  real problem
• Experience in high enthalpy experimental methods
  invaluable for new engineers entering a workforce
  gearing up for CEV
• An eventual reliable, cost effective, reusable
  TPS

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TPS Study Literature

• Widely available references for experimental
  methods in high enthalpy flows
• Aero-heating theory
• Rich TPS history from WW2 to present

Columbia Breakup
V-2 First Heatshield
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TPS Study Sponsor

• Professor Kauffman, UM Aerospace
• New undergraduate high enthalpy testing facility
  coming Fall 2005