Collisional quenching of atoms and molecules on spacecraft thermal protection surfaces

Preliminary results of a research program to determine energy partitioning in spacecraft thermal protection materials due to atom recombination at the gas-surface interface are presented. The primary focus of the research is to understand the catalytic processes which determine heat loading on Shuttle, Aeroassisted OTV, and NASP thermal protection surfaces in nonequilibrium flight regimes. Highly sensitive laser diagnostics based on laser-induced fluorescence and resonantly-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy are used to detect atoms and metastable molecules. At low temperatures, a discharge flow reactor is employed to measure deactivation/recombination coefficients for O-atoms, N-atoms, and O2. Detection methods are presented for measuring O-atoms, O2 and N2, and results for deactivation of O2 and O-atoms on reaction-cured glass and Ni surfaces. Both atom recombination and metastable product formation are examined. Radio-frequency discharges are used to produce highly dissociated beams of atomic species at energies characteristic of the surface temperature. Auger electron spectroscopy is employed as a diagnostic of surface composition in order to accurately define and control measurement conditions.