Ballistic Performance of Porous-Ceramic, Thermal Protection SystemsPorous-ceramic, thermal protection systems are used heavily in current reentry vehicles like the Orbiter, and they are currently being proposed for the next generation of US manned spacecraft, Orion. These systems insulate reentry critical components of a spacecraft against the intense thermal environments of atmospheric reentry. Additionally, these materials are highly exposed to space environment hazards like solid particle impacts. This paper discusses impact studies up to 10 km/s on 8 lb/cu ft alumina-fiber-enhanced-thermal-barrier (AETB8) tiles coated with a toughened-unipiece-fibrous-insulation/ reaction-cured-glass layer (TUFI/RCG). A semi-empirical, first principals impact model that describes projectile dispersion is described that provides excellent agreement with observations over a broad range of impact velocities, obliquities and projectile materials. Model extensions to look at the implications of greater than 10 GPa equation of state is also discussed. Predicted penetration probabilities for a vehicle visiting the International Space Station is 60% lower for orbital debris and 95% lower for meteoroids with this model compared to an energy scaled approach.
Document ID
20110011349
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Miller, J. E. (Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. Denver, CO, United States)
Bohl, W. E. (Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. Denver, CO, United States)
Christiansen, Eric C. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Davis, B. A. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Foreman, C. D. (Lockheed Martin Exploration and Science Houston, TX, United States)