Composite Aeroshells with Integral Heat Shield Designs

"Advanced hypersonic/hypervelocity guided missile systems such as the Army's Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM), for example, will be subjected to severe aerodynamic heating loads requiring improved thermal protection systems. Conventional thermalprotection concepts for such structures typically involve adhesive bonding of a separate external heatshield to the airframe. In addition to the high fabrication costs associated with this approach, potential debonding can occur due to bondlinetemperature rise and/or aerodynamic shear. In order to meet system weight and performance goals while reducing manufacturing costs, integral heatshield/airframe concepts are needed. The Phase II research activity proposed by DE Technologies, Inc. (DET)will develop integral composite heatshield/airframe designs for advanced hypersonic/hypervelocity missile systems and demonstrate an integral braiding and co-curing manufacturing process technology for representative heatshield/airframe andheatshield/motorcase components. The proposed Phase II program consists of three principal elements: (1) prototype design development and analyses, (2) manufacturing process development and prototype fabrication, and (3) experimentation. Three phases ofexperimentation are proposed to support the prototype design development, including: (1) material screening, (2) thermal performance evaluation, and (3) structural evaluation testing."