// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Thermal Protection
Materials and systems designed to shield spacecraft from extreme heat, especially during atmospheric re-entry or from engine exhaust. These systems prevent the spacecraft from burning up.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
A system of materials, such as ablative shields or ceramic tiles (e.g., Space Shuttle TPS), designed to protect spacecraft structures and internal components from extreme aerodynamic heating during atmospheric re-entry or from high-temperature propulsion plumes.
BACKGROUND
Outer space, or simply space, is the expanse that exists beyond Earth's atmosphere and between celestial bodies. It contains ultra-low levels of particle densities, constituting a near-perfect vacuum of predominantly hydrogen and helium plasma, permeated by electromagnetic radiation, cosmic rays, neutrinos, magnetic fields and dust. The baseline temperature of outer space, as set by the background radiation from the Big Bang, is 2.7 kelvins.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Heat shield
- TPS (Thermal Protection System)
- ablative material
- re-entry shield
USAGE NOTE
The Space Shuttle relied heavily on its Thermal Protection System to survive the intense heat of re-entry.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Thermal Protection.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, particularly its Ames Research Center, is a pioneer in Thermal Protection Systems (TPS), having developed foundational materials like PICA (Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator) used on numerous spacecraft, including Stardust and SpaceX's Dragon 1.
Develops and manufactures its own advanced thermal protection systems in-house. This includes the PICA-X ablative heat shield for its Dragon capsules and the innovative hexagonal ceramic tiles designed for the full reusability of its Starship vehicle.
As the prime contractor for NASA's Orion spacecraft, Lockheed Martin designed and manufactured its thermal protection system, the largest ablative heat shield ever built, capable of withstanding lunar return reentry temperatures of nearly 5,000°F (2,760°C).
Developed the thermal protection system for the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which includes an ablative base heat shield and thermal tiles on its aeroshell to protect the crew capsule during its return from low Earth orbit.
Develops the Dream Chaser spaceplane, which uses a reusable thermal protection system based on silica-based tiles and TUFROC (Toughened Unipiece Fibrous Reusable Oxidation-Resistant Ceramic) to protect the vehicle during repeated atmospheric reentries.
Designs and implements a thermal protection system for the recovery of its Electron rocket's first stage. This system is crucial for enabling the booster to survive the intense heat and forces experienced during atmospheric reentry.
Integrates thermal protection materials, such as cork and other insulators, on its launch vehicles like the Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur to shield sensitive components and payloads from extreme aerodynamic heating during ascent through the atmosphere.
A major European aerospace company with significant expertise in designing, manufacturing, and testing thermal protection systems for various applications, including atmospheric reentry demonstrators like the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) and other space exploration missions.