Transcription of Thermal Protection Systems
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The Space Shuttle design presented many Thermal insulationchallenges. The system not only had to perform well, it had to integratewith other subsystems. The Orbiter s surfaces were exposed toexceedingly high temperatures and needed reusable, lightweight,low-cost Thermal Protection . The vehicle also required low vulnerabilityto orbital debris and minimal Thermal conductivity. NASA decided tobond the Orbiter s Thermal Protection directly to its aluminum skin,which presented an additional challenge. The External Tank required insulation to maintain the cryogenic fuels,liquid hydrogen, and liquid oxygen as well as to provide additionalstructural integrity through launch and after release from the challenge and solutions that NASA discovered through tests andflight experience represent innovations that will carry into the nextgeneration of space InnovationsThermalProtectionSystemsIntro ductionGail ChaplineOrbiter Thermal Protection SystemAlvaro RodriguezCooper SnappGeminesse DorseyMichael FowlerBen GreeneWilliam SchneiderCarl ScottExternal Tank Thermal Protection SystemMyron Pessin Jim ButlerJ.
vehicle thermal control purposes. The low-temperature reusable surface insulation tiles covered areas of the vehicle in which temperatures reached up to 649°C (1,200°F). The Orbiter used several different types of tiles, depending on thermal requirements. Over the years of the program, the tile composition changed with NASA’s improved
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