Wind-Tunnel and Flight Tests of Ablators and Insulators for Rocket Vehicles

摘要

Many rocket vehicles, such as sounding rockets, can be flown without any thermal protection on the cylindrical payload or motor sections; however some high-performance rocket systems do experience enough aerodynamic heating aft of the nose cone to require thermal protection to keep the temperature of the structure below allowable limits. The material providing protection is usually a plastic, applied to the external skin of the vehicle, that protects the structure from excessive temperatures because of its low conductivity and/or ablative properties. This experimental study was motivated by a renewed interest in ablators and external insulator materials capable of protecting these structures. Ten materials to provide adequate protection and add minimum weight were identified and tested in a wind tunnel and on rocket vehicles. The thermal results of these tests are presented. (ERA citation 05:022725)