Development of Non Destructive Evaluation Techniques for the In-Situ Inspection of the Orbiter's Thermal Protection System

One of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board's (CAB) recommendation is to develop and implement an inspection plan to determine the structural integrity of all Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) system components that make part of the Space Shuttle's thermal protection system. This presentation focuses on the efforts to leverage non-destructive evaluation (NDE) expertise from academia, private industry, and government agencies resulting in the design of a comprehensive health monitoring program for RCC components. The different NDE techniques that were considered are presented along with the chosen techniques and preliminary inspection results of RCC materials.