Integrated Ceramic - Copper Thermal Protection System (TPS) for Thermal Management of Reusable Launchers
multi-material additive manufacturing for next-generation reusable thermal protection systems
Reusable TPS are designed to withstand extreme thermal and mechanical loads during flight while maintaining performance over multiple missions with minimal maintenance. This reusability enables cost-effective and sustainable aerospace operations. State-of-the-art TPS solutions include silica-based reusable tiles, Ames Insulation Material, fibrous refractory composite insulation, and alumina-enhanced thermal barriers. However, developing TPS that can endure surface temperatures above 1600 °C remains challenging, requiring designs that are lightweight, modular, cost-efficient, adaptable to different configurations, and composed of well-bonded multi-layer structures.
This project is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and carried out in collaboration with NLR, the Netherlands; TU Dresden, Germany and the University of Twente. For further clarification and detailed information regarding the project, kindly contact:
