Space Shuttle Orbiter thermal protection system design and flight experience
The Space Shuttle Orbiter Thermal Protection System materials, design approaches associated with each material, and the operational performance experienced during fifty-five successful flights are described. The flights to date indicate that the thermal and structural design requirements were met and that the overall performance was outstanding.
Related Space Shuttle Documents
A Compilation of Space Shuttle Sonic Boom Measurements
Sonic boom measurements have been obtained on 26 flights of the Space Shuttle system beginning with the launch of STS-1 on April 12, 1981, to the reentry-descent of STS-41 into EAFB on Oct. 10, 1990.
A high angle of attack inviscid shuttle orbiter computation
As a preliminary step toward predicting the leeside thermal environment for winged reentry vehicles at flight conditions, a computational solution for the flow about the Shuttle Orbiter at wind tunnel
A radiant heating test facility for space shuttle orbiter thermal protection system certification
A large scale radiant heating test facility was constructed so that thermal certification tests can be performed on the new generation of thermal protection systems developed for the space shuttle orb