Polymeric ablative materials play a strategic role in the whole aerospace industry: they are used to produce the thermal protection system (TPS), which protects vehicles during the hypersonic flight through a planetary atmosphere. To date, TPSs are typically designed as rigid monolithic heat shields. Inflatable deployable aeroshells (IDAs) offer an alternative to rigid TPSs: IDAs are based on the use of flexible TPSs (FTPSs). State of the art FTPSs can handle heat fluxes up to approximately 20 W cm−2. However, next generation FTPSs for IADs should be able to survive heat fluxes up to 150 W cm−2. To satisfy these stringent requirements, we propose a radically brand-new paradigm of flexible TPS based on the use of state of the art elastomeric ablatives (EPDM/Aramid) employed to produce the insulation liners for solid rocket motors. This class of ablatives is able to survive heat fluxes in the range of (300–1000) W cm−2. Most important, we envisioned to introduce an “Armadillo-Like” design in which a series of overlapping sacrificial movable tiles could work as a continuous
An Armadillo-Like Flexible Thermal Protection System for Inflatable Decelerators: a novel paradigm
NATALI, MAURIZIO;RALLINI, MARCO;PUGLIA, Debora;KENNY, Jose Maria;TORRE, Luigi
2014
Abstract
Polymeric ablative materials play a strategic role in the whole aerospace industry: they are used to produce the thermal protection system (TPS), which protects vehicles during the hypersonic flight through a planetary atmosphere. To date, TPSs are typically designed as rigid monolithic heat shields. Inflatable deployable aeroshells (IDAs) offer an alternative to rigid TPSs: IDAs are based on the use of flexible TPSs (FTPSs). State of the art FTPSs can handle heat fluxes up to approximately 20 W cm−2. However, next generation FTPSs for IADs should be able to survive heat fluxes up to 150 W cm−2. To satisfy these stringent requirements, we propose a radically brand-new paradigm of flexible TPS based on the use of state of the art elastomeric ablatives (EPDM/Aramid) employed to produce the insulation liners for solid rocket motors. This class of ablatives is able to survive heat fluxes in the range of (300–1000) W cm−2. Most important, we envisioned to introduce an “Armadillo-Like” design in which a series of overlapping sacrificial movable tiles could work as a continuousI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
