Reusable, oxidation-protected reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) has been successfully flown on all Shuttle Orbiter flights. Thermal testing of the silicon carbide-coated RCC to determine its oxidation characteristics has been performed in convective (plasma Arc-Jet) heating facilities. Surface sealant mass loss was characterized as a function of temperature and pressure. High-temperature testing was performed to develop coating recession correlations for predicting performance at the over-temperature flight conditions associated with abort trajectories. Methods for using these test data to establish multi-mission re-use (i.e., mission life) and single mission limits are presented.
Analysis of the Shuttle Orbiter Reinforced Carbon-Carbon Oxidation Protection System
1994
67 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Manned Spacecraft , Ablative Materials & Ablation , Coatings, Colorants, & Finishes , Ablation , Carbon-carbon composites , Oxidation resistance , Protective coatings , Space shuttle orbiters , Carbon fibers , Sealers , Temperature effects , Abort trajectories , Convective heat transfer , Erosion , Flight conditions , Oxidation , Plasma heating , Reuse , Silicon