Early in the 1970's, a new low density insulation material was adopted to thermally protect the aluminum structure of the Space Shuttle from the high temperatures normally encountered during atmospheric entry. The thermal protection system was designed to be reused for at least 100 flights at 1260 Cel before replacement. All previous manned space-flight vehicles utilized ablative materials, which were used for only one entry. The material developed for the Shuttle, a rigidized fibrous insulation, was called reusable surface insulation (RSI). Its density and conductivity were optimized (minimum conductivity and weight) to keep the thermal protection system weight as low as possible, consistent with adequate mechanical properties to increase the resultant payload capability of the vehicle.
Developments in fibrous refractory composite insulation
Entwicklungen feuerfester Faserverbundwerkstoff-Isolation
American Ceramic Society Bulletin ; 60 , 11 ; 1201-1204
1981
4 Seiten, 9 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 13 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
GLAS , KERAMIK , FASER , HOCHTEMPERATURTECHNIK , VERBUNDWERKSTOFF , WAERMESCHUTZ , THERMISCHE EIGENSCHAFT , GLASFASER , SILICIUMDIOXID , SILICAT , BOR , RAUMFAHRZEUG , MATERIALFORSCHUNG , NASA (NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION) , WAERMELEITFAEHIGKEIT , ZUGFESTIGKEIT , ABSCHRECKEN (ABKUEHLEN) , TEMPERATURWECHSELBESTAENDIGKEIT , FERTIGUNG , FESTSTOFFDICHTE , OBERFLAECHENTEMPERATUR
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