KY EPSCoR: FY24: NASA: Research Area (RA) State Match – SCIENCE: Investigation of Material Surface Erosion and Failure due to High-Velocity Particle Impact - Match for 3200005798

Investigation of Material Surface Erosion and Failure due to High-Velocity Particle Impact Investigation of Material Surface Erosion and Failure due to High-Velocity Particle Impact Project Description The NASA Kentucky EPSCoR Program’s mission is to enhance research and intellectual capacity of the state’s universities and colleges through strategic investments in NASA-priority research areas and to increase researcher competitiveness for non-EPSCoR NASA funding. Understanding and being able to accurately predict materials surface erosion due to high-speed particle impact is needed for NASA current and future missions. In the case of planetary entry application, the thermal protection system (TPS) materials are susceptible to impact by highspeed particles such as dust storm during Mars landing and sample return. Therefore, accurate assessment of surface erosion is necessary to avoid over-design of the TPS. Another case is related to the aerospace propulsion engine applications. When operating in dust-laden environments, engine components are impacted by solid erosive particles entrained in the gas flow, which results in significant material removal that can lead to deleterious effects in engine performance. All these must be carefully studied to support NASA missions. The primary goal of this project is to develop a set of validated multi-scale multi-physics computational tools that provide fundamental insights on the nature of material surface erosion due to high-speed particle impact. The overarching goal is to model and investigate the materials surface erosion due to high-speed particle impact related to NASA TPS applications and next generation aerospace propulsion engine applications. The knowledge gained and the tools developed in this project will be useful for capsule and vehicle performance modeling and simulation and materials design for TPS and gas-turbine engines for NASA current and future missions. As a university program, this project will strive to train and prepare next generation of aerospace scientists and engineers.