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Validation of PICA Ablation and Thermal-Response Model at Low Heat FluxPhenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) was the forebody heatshield material on the Stardust sample-return capsule and is also a primary candidate material for the Mars Science Lander (MSL), the Orion Crew Module, and the SpaceX Dragon vehicle. As part of the heatshield qualification for Orion, physical and thermal properties of virgin and charred PICA were measured, and an ablation and thermal response model was developed. We validated the model by comparing it with recession and temperature data from stagnation arcjet tests conducted over a wide range of stagnation heat flux of 107 to 1102 W/sq cm. The effect of orthotropic thermal conductivity was evident in the thermal response of the arcjet models. In general, model predictions compared well with the data; however, the uncertainty of the recession prediction was greatest for heat fluxes below 200 W/sq cm. More recent MSL testing focused on the low heat flux regime of 45 to 250 W/sq cm. The new results confirm the recession uncertainty, especially for pressures below 6 kPa. In this work we focus on improving the model predictions for MSL and Orion tests below 250 W/sq cm.
Document ID
20090035866
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Milos, Frank S.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Chen, Yih-Kanq
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
June 22, 2009
Subject Category
Nonmetallic Materials
Report/Patent Number
TSM-0001
ARC-E-DAA-TN293
Meeting Information
Meeting: 2009 National Space and Missile Materials Symposium
Location: Henderson, NV
Country: United States
Start Date: June 22, 2009
End Date: June 25, 2009
Sponsors: General Dynamics Corp.
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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