Durable Hybrid Thermal Protection System

In this program, the technical feasibility of a new thermal protection system (TPS) design for hypersonic airframes will be established. The design will draw from the strengths of many advanced aerospace materials, placing each material into a narrow role it is best suited to fill. An innovative design approach will be introduced that combines an early emphasis on thermal management, a novel materials system, and a novel leading-edge internal configuration. The novel materials system we propose is enabled by a recent TMMT advance in the synthesis of metal/carbon composite materials with unique thermal properties. The novel structural configuration we propose combines radiant and active cooling mechanisms in a manner that allows the surrounding advanced composite structures to spend a longer portion of the flight cycle within the temperature range where their oxidation protection system functions most effectively. The proposed design solution innovatively reconfigures the existing materials set into a system that better integrates thermal, structural, and aerodynamic requirements. Thermal protection systems currently pose one of the greatest challenges to the advancement of hypersonic flight technology. The TPS design solution offered enhances the thermal capability of a new generation of reusable launch vehicles such as those under development in the National Aerospace Initiative, but also contributes to the broader advancement of aviation technology.