Heat Shields for Aerobrakes

Abstract

Performances of three types of heat protectors predicted. Estimates of expected performances of heat shields for conical drag brake presented in paper. Drag brakes, or aerobrakes, being considered as devices for slowing space vehicles when they return to Space Shuttle altitudes from higher satellite altitudes after supply missions. Aerobrakes add less weight than do retro-rockets for same purpose and consume no fuel. Paper provides general information on sensitivity of performance to thermal and physical properties of materials used in aerobrakes. Information useful to both designers of brakes and developers of materials for brake fabrication on aerospace structures.