Abstract
Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) are crucial in protecting spacecraft from exposure to intense heating during atmospheric entry. Ablative materials are used to reduce this heating through the process of pyrolysis gas production, which absorbs some of this energy and cools the surface of the vehicle. The Kentucky Aerothermodynamics and Thermal-Response System (KATS) is utilized to model material response, which includes this pyrolysis gas flow. A set of ongoing arc-jet experiments which measure this gas transport directly have been conduced. The experimental samples contain a TPS material which is radially enclosed by a holder. This holder is an impermeable material, such as graphite, with a bored hole that allows the observation of the out gassing directly. The experimental results, combined with the full 3D material response simulation, will work to validate the pyrolysis gas transport and multi-material models within KATS-MR.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2025 |
| Event | AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2025 - Orlando, United States Duration: Jan 6 2025 → Jan 10 2025 |
Publication series
| Name | AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2025 |
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Conference
| Conference | AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2025 |
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| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Orlando |
| Period | 1/6/25 → 1/10/25 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2025, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.
Funding
The author would also like to thank B. K. Bessire, E. C. Stern, M. B. Barnhardt, J. B. Haskins, T. Oishi, D. B. Hash from NASA Ames Research Center, A. J. Amar from NASA Johnson Spaceflight Center, as well as S. C. Splinter and the supporting staff from the HyMETS facility at NASA Langley Research Center. Finally, the author would also like to thank the University of Kentucky Center for Computational Sciences and Information Technology Services Research Computing for their support and use of the Morgan/Lipscomb Compute Cluster and associated research computing resources.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Ames Research Center | |
| NASA Johnson Spaceflight Center | |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | |
| Kentucky Transportation Center, University of Kentucky |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Aerospace Engineering