The tank design is the main element of a reference concept for a reusable launch vehicle which is based on a cryogenic tank with rocket propulsion. Due to the requirement of getting a cryogenic tank into orbit and back the requirements for the TPS (thermal protection system) are also very special. It was chosen to rely on the most advanced materials and to try to follow a completely new route for the establishment of an effective TPS. Previous TPS designs - even in the case of the US space shuttle as a reusable vehicle - did not have the requirement of protecting a cryogenic tank. In the new TPS design CMC (ceramic matrix composite) panels form the hot surface of the vehicle. The panels have a width and length of 600 mm but are slightly inclined for not to have interpanel gaps in the streamline direction of the vehicle surface. A design for a mechanically attached TPS for a reusable cryogenic tank vehicle was developed. A verification with regard to thermal loading showed the feasibilty concerning thermal environment; future work needs to cover in detail the thermomechanical aspects of the design.
Design of a CMC-based thermal protection system for the cryogenic tank of a reusable space transportation system
Auslegung eines thermischen Schutzsystems auf CMC-Basis (ceramic matrix composite) für den Kryogentank eines mehrfach nutzbaren Raumtransportsystems
Spacecraft Structures, Materials & Mechanical Testing, International Conference, European Space Agency, 1996 ; 1057-1063
1996
7 Seiten, 9 Bilder, 10 Quellen
Conference paper
English
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