Automated Fabrication of Ablation-Resistant Thermal Protection Systems

Cornerstone Research Group Inc. (CRG) in partnership with The University of Delaware Center for Composites Manufacturing (UD-CCM) proposes to advance the state-of-the-art in space vehicle thermal protection systems (TPS) with a combined multi-layer approach. The multi-layer approach will consist of an outer ablative layer followed by an internal insulation layer. The outer, ablative layer will be produced using automated composite fabrication techniques with continuous fiber reinforcement. These techniques are already common to the aerospace industry, but have not yet been adapted to high temperature materials that are often needed for re-entry conditions. Behind the ablative layer will be an insulation system that may be a single composition or functionally graded with varying composition to ensure compatibility with the continuous fiber layer on the outside surface. Traditional TPS fabrication is labor intensive, specialized work, with size limitations; and as such, is expensive, slow, and modular. By contrast, others are now regularly producing wings sections, fuselage components, and a variety of other large parts with automated processing. This work seeks to combine the value of automated processing that is already well understood within the aerospace community and apply it to materials that are capable of enduring the extreme environments of atmospheric entry in support of manned missions to Mars as well as re-entry to Earth from low-earth orbit (LEO), with the latter need taking on renewed interest as the US is returning to the moon in the next decade. This is possible due to a new class of material invented by CRG called MG Resin. The resins are being explored with for a range of applications including C/C hot structures, TPS, syntactic insulation, and elastomeric rocket motor insulation among others. The materials have demonstrated high char yield, low erosion, and good mechanical performance, and are compatible with a wide variety of processing methods.