IGF::OT::IGF THE HEATSHIELD FOR EXTREME ENTRY ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY (HEEET) PROJECT, FUNDED BY NASA S…

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IGF::OT::IGF THE HEATSHIELD FOR EXTREME ENTRY ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY (HEEET) PROJECT, FUNDED BY NASA S SPACE TECHNOLOGY MISSION DIRECTORATE UNDER THE GAME CHANGING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (GCDP) SEEKS TO MATURE A GAME CHANGING WOVEN THERMAL PROTECTION SYSTEM (WTPS) TECHNOLOGY TO ENABLE IN-SITU ROBOTIC SCIENCE MISSIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE NASA RESEARCH COUNCIL (NRC) PLANETARY SCIENCE DECADAL SURVEY (PSDS) COMMITTEE. CURRENT STATE OF THE ART 3D WEAVING TECHNOLOGIES PLACE THE VARIOUS FIBERS IN AN OPTIMIZED 3D CONFIGURATION. THE WOVEN PROCESS RESULTS IN PANELS APPROXIMATELY 24 INCHES WIDE WITH THICKNESSES FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES DEPENDING ON THE MISSION. A TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY APPROACH WOULD THEN INFUSE WOVEN PREFORMS WITH A RESIN, MACHINE IT TO SHAPE, AND ASSEMBLE AS A TILED SOLUTION WITH AN ADHESIVE TO FILL THE GAPS BETWEEN TILES. SUCH AN ADHESIVELY BONDED SEAM APPROACH HAS SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE REDUCTION IN THERMAL-MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE COMPARED TO THAT OF THE ACREAGE WOVEN MATERIAL. A MECHANICALLY ENHANCED SEAM INSERTED INTO THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER RESIN INFUSION WOULD OFFER MANY ADVANTAGES COMPARED TO THE TRADITIONAL ADHESIVELY BONDED APPROACH. NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER (ARC) PLANS TO EXPLORE ALL FORMS OF JOINT ENHANCEMENT FOR THE WOVEN PANELS. JOINT ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES SUCH AS STITCHING, TUFTING, Z-PINNING, OR SOME ALTERNATIVE MECHANICAL SOLUTION ARE ALL WITHIN SCOPE OF THIS SOW. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE JOINT BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND HARSH DYNAMIC LOADING AT LAUNCH, AND TEMPERATURE EXTREMES WHILE IN THE VACUUM OF SPACE AND DURING RE-ENTRY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY NOT ADVERSELY IMPACT THE RECESSION AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM. DEVELOPING RELIABLE JOINT ENHANCEMENT USING ONE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED METHODS WOULD PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION FOR THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF WOVEN TPS MATERIALS.