Additive Insulative Layer for Thermal Protection System

The Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environmental Technology (HEEET) project started as a solution to the difficult entry temperatures and conditions. Its design is robust for the extreme environments that it needs to survive. HEEET Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) is fabricated with two different layers. The first is a dense carbon layer that is meant to be thermally ablative (forebody) and the second is a phenolic less dense weave that acts as an insulation layer. These heavy applications were developed for the Adaptable Deployable Entry Placement Technology (ADEPT) program. nbsp;Recently NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) is exploring other options using this system to produce robust materials that can be scaled to environmental conditions for Mars and low earth orbit (LEO) and other planetary entry. This hybrid manufacturing solution that will utilize the tight weave of the carbon layer and the low fiber volume of the phenolic thermal insulation. The application will use the weaving process established by Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM) and needle punched layer that will be developed with BRM engineering and Thomas Jefferson University (formerly Philadelphia University / Philadelphia Textile) engineering and lab equipment. The BRM team will develop a TPS that can have thermal layers added after the weaving process using needle punching techniques.nbsp;