Innovative Weight Efficient Combined Structural/Thermal Protection System (TPS) Concepts

The current approach to providing thermal protection to aero-vehicles is to use a parasitic thermal protection system (TPS) that protects the primary structure while transferring the aerodynamic loads to the same primary structure. This approach increases the complexity of the vehicle system that, in turn, complicates fabrication and inspection of the structure. In addition, this approach also increases production and maintenance costs. Thus, there is a clear need for a low-cost approach to manufacturing thermal protection systems capable of supporting load and are integral to the vehicle structure. This alternate TPS proposed by FMW, with design support from Boeing, would utilize discontinuous reinforcement of titanium (TiB) skins with a possible combination of traditional titanium matrix composite (TMC)/TiB support structure. The TiB skins would become an integral part of the vehicle structure and capable of sharing loads while maintain strength at temperature. These combined titanium composite technologies would offer a very robust solution to the TPS problem. During the Phase I SBIR, FMW successfully demonstrated that the material properties of a rolled TiB skin would be suitable for the TPS skin. In the program described herein, FMW, in conjunction with Boeing, proposes the fabrication several subscale TPS elements along with a representative full scale article.