Earlier pubication by Curry et al. reported on the development and processing of the reinforced carbon-carbon composite material used in the leading-edge structural subsystem of the Space Shuttle orbiter vehicle. The current paper reviews a substantial portion of that work and with the author's permission utilizes its figures. Vought Corp. has been under contract with Rockwell International since 1972 to develop, design, and manufacture the leading-edge structural subsystem (LESS) components for the Space Shuttle orbiter. The LESS components include the thermal protection system (TPS) for the leading edge of the wing and the nose cap as depicted in Fig. 1. The multimission reusable nature of the orbiter required that the LESS materials have high structural strength and low density and that they be highly refractory in an oxidizing atmosphere.
Leading-edge structural material system of the space shuttle
Das Material des Fluegelprofil-Vorderkantensystems am Raumgleiter
American Ceramic Society Bulletin ; 60 , 11 ; 1210-1214
1981
5 Seiten, 13 Bilder, 2 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
HOCHTEMPERATURTECHNIK , MATERIALFORSCHUNG , FERTIGUNG , WAERMEISOLATION , TEMPERATURBESTAENDIGKEIT , TRAGFLAECHE (AERODYNAMIK) , RAUMFAHRZEUG , TEMPERATURABHAENGIGKEIT , VERBUNDWERKSTOFF , SILICIUMCARBID , GRAPHIT , SUBSTRAT , OBERFLAECHENTEMPERATUR , SILICIUMDIOXID , QUARZ , GLAS , EINDRINGTIEFE , CHEMISCHE REAKTION , STANDZEIT , ZEITKORRELATION , THERMISCHE EIGENSCHAFT , RAUMFAEHRE , KOHLENSTOFFASER