CONCEPT OF A SAMPLE-RETURN VEHICLE FOR BALLISTIC EARTH RE-ENTRY
IF Carrier
Filling Foam
FS Structure
FS TPS Lid TPS
Front Energy absorbing material
Rear Energy absorbing material Lid structure
Internal insulation
Internal structure
Sample Canister AFT TPS
FP7/SPACE: Activity 9.2.1 Strengthening of Space foundations / Research to support space science and exploration - SPA.2009.2.1.01
The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n 241992 EADS/ASTRIUM, Fr supplied the ASTERM material and the plasma-jet test was carried at the Sirocco facility of CIRA, Italy
Main characteristics of a ballistic Earth re-entry. Effective max. total heat flux is about 11.6MW/m
2, max. velocity 12.3km/sec (47.5Mach), total heat energy about 250MJ/m
2.
T im e [s]
HeatFlux[kW/m2] Mach Velocity[m/s]
Altitude[km]
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000
10 20 30 40 50
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000 13000
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 C onvective R adiative total M ach V e locity Z
1 2 3 0 0 m /s
3 2 .3 1 4 5 .7
V = 1 2 3 0 0 m /s Z = 9 0 .0 8 km
1 1 6 0 0 kW /m2
V = 1 0 8 9 1 m/s Z = 5 7 .4 8 km M = 3 3 .6 4 8 8 3 2 kW /m2
2 9 3 2 kW /m2
http://www.rastas-spear.eu/
FP7/SPACE/241992 1/9/2011 – 30/10/2012
“Radiation-Shapes-Thermal
Protection Investigations for High
Speed Earth Re-entry”
Mechanical behaviour of adhesively bonded ASTERM ablative TPS after Plasma-jet testing
G. Vekinis and A. Marinou
Institute of Materials Science, NCSR Demokritos, Greece gvekinis@ims.demokritos.gr
Bending strength of ASTERM before and after plasma tests at 5MW/m2
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00
Virgin ASTERM, loading vertical
to fibres Top char, loading vertical
to fibres Virgin ASTERM, side,
spec. cut horizontally
Side char, spec. cut horizontally
Virgin ASTERM, side,
spec. cut vertically
Side char, spec. cut vertically
Transverse Rupture Strength, MPa
Bending strength of charred ASTERM from the top and the side surface (specimens cut both horizontally and vertically) in comparison with the strength
values measured on similar size specimens on virgin ASTERM Cross section of an adhesively joined ASTERM (supplied by EADS/ASTRIUM) specimen after
Plasma jet testing at 5MW/m2 for 12 seconds at the Sirocco facility at CIRA. Total recession at top is about 2mm, it is fairly uniform and <0.5mm on the sides. Charred region varies from 6 to 12mm.
Recession of the adhesive is slightly larger (photo on top left). The adhesive used was an RTV Silicone elastomeric rubber mixed with small amount of ASTERM powder
ASTERM-adhesive interface in charred region
Virgin ASTERM-adhesive interface ASTERM-
loaded adhesive in charred region The ASTERM-
loaded adhesive remained well bonded after testing with minimal additional recession
ASTERM in charred region
Virgin ASTERM Bending tests of some
adhesive joints tested.
Transverse rupture strength decreases by adding ASTERM powder but increases with curing time.
No decohesion was noted at the interfaces so the results reflect the actual maximum extension during bending of the adhesives tested and range from about 150% in the case of adhesive A + ASTERM after 24 hrs to 450% in the case of one of the adhesives as supplied.
Maximum tensile elongation in Bending
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Curing time, hrs
Max Tensile elongation, %
Adhesive A Adhesive A +7.5%AST Adhesive A +15%AST
Transverse Rupture Strength - Adhesive A
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Curing time, hrs
TRS, MPa
Adhesive A Adhesive A +7.5%AST Adhesive A +15%AST
Sequence of photos showing the gradual deformation of adhesive-joined ASTERM under direct shear loading and its correspondence on the load-displacement curve. Original joint thickness was 1mm. The very good adhesion and very large extension at final failure is clearly visible.
Bending strength at liquid Nitrogen temp (-196oC) of various adhesives
Bending tests in liq. Nitrogen
58.5 76.7
63.8 54.3
122.6
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 120.0 140.0
1
TRS (MPa)
Adhesive B+15%AST Adhesive B Adhesive A +15%As"
Adhesive A CV1142
Schematic of the directly shear test and typical load-displacement curves (below)
