The current design of the Ares I Upper Stage uses a common bulkhead between the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks. The bulkhead consists of spin-formed aluminum domes welded to Y-rings and bonded to a perforated phenolic honeycomb core. The honeycomb core is perforated to allow the air in the cells to be evacuated which increases the thermal insulating properties of the bulkhead, helping to maintain the propellant at the proper condition. Nondestructive evaluation methods are being developed and proven for the dome to Y-ring weld, the as-machined spin-formed dome material and the core-to-dome bond line of the common bulkhead. The development of nondestructive evaluation methods for inspecting the core-to-dome bond lines are outlined in this work with a focus on thermographic, shearographic, and ultrasonic methods.
Nondestructive testing techniques for the Ares I common bulkhead bond line
Zerstörungsfreie Prüftechnik für die Ares I Hauptschott-Klebeschicht
ME - Materials Evaluation ; 67 , 7 ; 775-783
2009
9 Seiten, 10 Bilder, 8 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
Ares I and Ares I-X Stage Separation Aerodynamic Testing
Online Contents | 2012
|ARES I AND ARES I-X STAGE SEPARATION AERODYNAMIC TESTING
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2011
|Ares I and Ares I-X Stage Separation Aerodynamic Testing
AIAA | 2012
|