Entry Systems Modeling (ESM): Flexible Thermal Protection Materials

This task is focused on developing advanced flexible insulator materials and fabrication concepts for flexible thermal protection heatshields through the design of materials and conducting property testing, high-temperature wind tunnel testing, and through various studies and analyses. NASA is pursuing a heat shield design technology that is a modular, multilayered insulation system consisting of a refractory textile outer layer designed to accommodate peak heating that is layered over insulators designed to manage integrated heat loads such that the gas barrier temperature remains below its performance limit. Additional effort will be given to the further development of a thermal response model and its thermal-physical characterization requirements for the materials and constituents used in the construction of high performance insulators.

Candidate insulator systems shall encompass both inorganic and organic systems that cover the spectrum from passive non-decomposing insulators, to actively-decomposing that offer the benefit of transpiration cooling. Manufacturing techniques that address improved pack-ability and handling resiliency will be included as part of the technology development activity. Proposed techniques such as scrim backing, needling, sizing, and bonding will be included in the trade study. Thermal testing at LCAT will be used to provide relative performance metrics between various concepts and absolute performance metrics against the design goal of 75 W/cm². Thermal-physical property testing of candidate materials will also be conducted to support the development of a high-fidelity thermal model that can be used to predict the performance. These predictions will be used to screen potential materials prior to a down select of the more promising technologies.

• Establishing soft-goods technology that will enable single-use survivability of a flexible heat shield capable of handling a peak heat flux of 75 W/cm².
• Identifying fabrication concepts that enable higher performance materials to be used in a flexible TPS.
• Establish material properties at relevant conditions (vendor provided material properties are, in general, invalid at atmospheric entry velocities and altitudes).
• Develop high-fidelity TPS models capable of accurately predicting thermal performance of multilayer systems.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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