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Completed TRL 3 (started at 3, targeting 3)
Lockheed Martin (LM) Space is currently investigating advanced high temperature materials for heat shields and supersonic/hypersonic hot structures. LM will perform and collaborate with NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) on testing and characterization activities focused on advanced materials. LM will provide to LaRC powder metallurgy and metal matrix composite (MMC) materials for metallurgical examination and mechanical property testing. The MMC materials will undergo friction stir processing both to modify microstructure and as potential manufacturing methods. LaRC will characterize and test both feedstock and the produced products in order to characterize the effect of processing on microstructures and measure post-processed material properties. Additionally, LaRC will investigate non-traditional methods for estimating processing induced improvements in material ductility, including nanoindentation and flexure testing.
Lightweight high-temperature powder metallurgy materials fabricated by solid state friction processing offer improved specific strength and stiffness which translate into reduced vehicle mass. Reduced vehicle mass enables greater mass allocation for payloads and support systems. Successful technology development will be extremely beneficial for the advancement of affordable, lightweight materials for hypersonic and Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) applications, enhanced defense systems, and commercial spacecraft. The partnership between LM and NASA will help advance high-temperature materials for both commercial and government space applications. NASA will benefit from metallic thermal protection systems that cost less to qualify and can be produced more efficiently in small or large quantities.
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