Extensibility of PICA TPS for Future Sample Return Missions

Stardust was the first successful robotic sample return mission delivering samples of the Comet Wild 2 to Earth in 2006. Genesis followed Stardust, in the era of “faster, better, cheaper,” collecting samples of solar wind. The Genesis sample return capsule (SRC) was larger and the program did not have the time nor funding to scale up the Stardust PICA heatshield and so, utilized an alternate heatshield. The successful Stardust mission led to future mission concepts baselining Stardust EDL, especially the entry heatshield. OSIRIS REx, was one such concept and the mission was designed to include build-to-print elements of the Stardust design. The primary scale-up limitation beyond Stardust and OSIRIS REx is the single-piece net cast PICA heatshield.

In the past three years, FMI working with NASA Ames, expanded the manufacturing capability of PICA and demonstrated a 1.3 m PICA single piece TPS. This was done in anticipation of the Mars Sample Return mission as well as future Sample Return missions requiring larger-scale SRCs. This effort also identified a sustainable domestic replacement precursor for the PICA preform as the heritage precursor was discontinued in 2016 and FMI has gone through multiple rayon replacements since Stardust. As part of the effort, PICA was also tested at conditions higher than the Stardust or OSIRIS REx entry envelope to establish an expanded performance envelope and enable future sample return missions at higher entry speeds. The poster will highlight PICA sustainability and extensibility as part of the Sample Return to Earth session.