Pre-stressed thermal protection systems
First Claim
1. A reusable high temperature, thermal protection system for a vehicle substructure comprising a plurality of spacer bars secured in pocket forming groups on the vehicle substructure, packing of low density insulation in each pocket, an outwardly dished protective panel of high temperature resistant, resilient material surmounting each pocket, and means flexing the central portion of each panel toward said substructure for prestressing each panel and pressing the periphery thereof firmly against the surrounding spacer bars.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hexagonal protective and high temperature resistant system for the Space Shuttle Orbiter consists of a multiplicity of pockets formed by hexagonally oriented spacer bars 11 secured ot the vehicle substructure 12, a packing of low density insulating batt material 18 in each pocket, and a thin protective panel 19 of laterally resilient advanced carbon-carbon material surmounting the peripheral bars 11 and packing 18. Each panel 19 has three stepped or offset lips on contiguous edges, as M-1, M-2, M-3, the other three edges, as M-4, M-5, M-6, being non-stepped, i.e., flat so that complementary edges of abutting panels rest against the peripheral bars. At the center of each pocket is a fully insulated stanchion 15 secured to and connecting the substructure and panel for flexing the panel toward the substructure and thereby prestressing the panel and forcing the panel edges firmly against the spacer bars.
-
Citations
9 Claims
- 1. A reusable high temperature, thermal protection system for a vehicle substructure comprising a plurality of spacer bars secured in pocket forming groups on the vehicle substructure, packing of low density insulation in each pocket, an outwardly dished protective panel of high temperature resistant, resilient material surmounting each pocket, and means flexing the central portion of each panel toward said substructure for prestressing each panel and pressing the periphery thereof firmly against the surrounding spacer bars.
- 7. A reusable thermal protection system for a substructure of a space vehicle comprising a plurality of groups of hexagonally arranged and pocket forming spacer bars secured to said substructure, laterally resilient, conical outer protective panels with edges resting against each of said groups of bars, three contiguous ones of said edge portions forming offset lips and the other three being flat for interfitting with complementary edges of abutting panels, a packing of low density matt insulation in each of said pockets and an insulated stanchion intermediately connecting each panel and said substructure and having means for centrally flexing each panel toward said substructure to prestress each panel and firmly press the edges thereto against said bars.
Specification