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Crain, William K.

Publications and source records attributed to Crain, William K..

1-D Transient Thermal Modeling of an Ablative Material (MCC-1) Exposed to a Simulated Convective Titan 4 Launch Environment

The purpose of the work is to demonstrate that the flat test panel substrate temperatures are consistent with analysis predictions for MCC-1 applied to a aluminum substrate. The testing was performed in an aerothermal facility on samples of three different thicknesses of MCC-1 on an aluminum substrate. The results of the test were compared with a Transient Thermal model. The key assumptions of the Transient Thermal model were: (1) a one-dimensional heat transfer; (2) a constant ablation recession rate (determined from pre and post-test measurements); (3) ablation temperature of 540 degrees F; (4) Char left behind the ablation front; and (5) temperature jump correction for incident heat transfer coefficient. Two methods were used to model the heating of bare MCC-1: (1) Directly input surface temperature as a function of time; and (2) Aerothermal heating using calibration plate data and subtracting the radiation losses to tunnel walls. The results are presented as graphs. This article is presented in Viewgraph format.

Reinarts, Thomas R.↗

SRB environment evaluation and analysis. Volume 1: Redesigned SRB flight heating evaluation

Following the Space Shuttle STS-51L disaster on January 28, 1986, a considerable redesign effort was launched on the Solid Rocket Booster. This effort culminated in three instrumented flights, STS-26R, 27R, and 29R, beginning in September of 1989. Aeroheating data were obtained on these flights in the form of pressure, heat flux, and gas temperature probe measurements. These data were analyzed from an ascent and reentry heating point of view. The flight data were verified, compared with historic and theoretical results, and scaled to design. Impact of these results on the current design environment set was assessed and recommendations made. This report documents this effort.

Crain, William K.↗

External tank aerothermal design criteria verification, volume 2

The objective of the study was to produce an independent set of ascent environments which would serve as a check on the Rockwell International (RI) IVBC-3 environments and provide an independent reevaluation of the thermal design criteria for the External Tank (ET). Given here are the plotted timewise environments comparing REMTECH results to the RI IVBC results.

Crain, William K.↗

External tank aerothermal design criteria verification, volume 1

The objective of this study was to produce an independent set of ascent environments which would serve as a check on the Rockwell IVBC-3 environments and provide an independent reevaluation of the thermal design criteria for the External Tank (ET). Design heating rates and loads were calculated at 367 acreage body point locations. Ascent flight regimes covered were lift-off, first stage ascent, Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) staging and second stage ascent through ET separation. The purpose here is to document these results, briefly describe the methodology used and present the environments along with a comparison with the Rockwell IVBC-3 counterpart. The methodology and environment summaries are given.

Crain, William K.↗