An open carbon-phenolic ablator for scientific exploration

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Aerospace Engineering
• Thermal Protection Systems

Background:

• Space exploration missions require robust thermal protection systems for atmospheric entry.
• Access to specialized ablative materials for laboratory research is limited.
• Carbon-phenolic ablators are critical for spacecraft thermal management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel ablative material, HARLEM (HEFDiG Ablation-Research Laboratory Experiment Material), for laboratory-based research.
• To provide the scientific community with accessible, high-performance ablative materials.
• To characterize the thermal protection capabilities of the newly developed material.

Main Methods:

• HARLEM was manufactured using polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber preforms and a simplified phenolic impregnation process.
• Thermal protection performance was evaluated using arcjet experiments in the PWK1 plasma wind tunnel.
• Surface recession rate and temperature were measured using photogrammetry and thermography, respectively.

Main Results:

• HARLEM exhibited thermal protection performance comparable to legacy carbon-phenolic ablators.
• Calculations of effective heat of ablation and scanning electron microscopy confirmed material integrity and performance.
• The in-house manufacturing process allows for the integration of embedded diagnostics for advanced analysis.

Conclusions:

• The developed HARLEM material effectively meets the need for accessible ablative materials in laboratory settings.
• HARLEM's performance is validated, offering a reliable alternative for thermal protection research.
• The ability to integrate diagnostics opens new avenues for understanding ablation phenomena.