04. Code TSM_ Final MKL.pdf

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The cornerstone of NASA’s current and future missions

Thermal Protection Materials Branch Code TSM

Mairead Stackpoole Branch Chief | Code TSM

Thermal Protection Materials Branch NASA Ames Research Center

TSM Leadership Team Mairead Stackpoole, chief Justin Haskins, deputy chief

Projects come and go so the branch has established technical leads that span projects, establish configuration management practices, maintain and advance capabilities, help identify lower TRL technologies of interest and work with projects to integrate low TRL technology that brings near term value

Branch Technical Leadership areas Branch Technical Lead High Temp Reusable Materials (HTRM) Project Manager TPS sustainability lead Computational Materials Lead Lead for Novel Diagnostics Development / Advanced Data Infrastructure Thermal Response Liaison Arc Jet Testing Liaison Thermal / Structural analysis group lead STAR Labs Program Manager

Thermal Protection Materials Branch – encompassing basic research, material development, analytical predictions and mission implementation to support NASA goals.

Thermal Protection Materials Branch Overview

• TPS Materials Development and Sustainment

– Ablative TPS

• PICA and SIRCA

• Conformal PICA

• 3D Woven TPS (HEEET, 3MDCP and 3DMAT)

– Reusable acreage insulation

• Advanced ceramic tile – AETB (Alumina Enhanced Thermal Barrier)

• Advanced coatings – TUFI (Toughened Uni-Piece Fibrous Insulation)

• Blankets/felts

– High-temperature reusable materials

• TUFROC (Toughened Uni-piece Fibrous Reinforced Oxidation-resistant Composite)

• TPS Materials Characterization and Testing

– Material property testing / characterization

– Arc-jet testing (unique)

• Flight Hardware (STAR labs)

– SIRCA for MER (Mars Exploration Rover)

– Orion Developmental Flight Instrumentation (DFI)

– EDL Instrumentation: MSL/Mars 2020

• TPS modeling, databases

– Thermal/mechanical finite element modeling

– Computational Materials Modeling

– Predictive Materials Modeling

– microstructural scale – relevant to porous material and wovens

– TPSX material properties database, new TSM database under development

– Aerothermal Materials Response Modelling (TPS Sizing)

TUFROC

Coatings

PICA tiles

Actuator

Moving Frame

Fixed Frame Laser

Specimen

Load Application ApparatusSchematic of LHMEL Structural Panel Test

LOAD LOAD

LOAD LOAD

LASER

N2N2

HEEET

Composite

Gapfiller

HEEET Seam Arc Jet Coupon

Thermal Response Modeling Temperature/Recession 3

MEDLI2

Heatshield PICA TPS Plugs Heat flux & TPS ResponseArtificial

Microstructure Generation

Combined thermal / mechanical loading jig

Thermal-structural Analysis

Computational Materials

We are Innovative

January 4, 2023 4

New tools currently under development include Icarus and PMM tools…

AM-TPS

Tiles upgrades with new constituents

T/C anomaly and arc jet uncertainty integration of arc jet testing, modeling, and mat characterization

Real time recession and shape change

Comp materials to inform on materials selection –e.g. NTP

TPS architectures enabling for aerocapture

Facility/lab improvements

Building novel characterization equipment

CIFs/IRADs/ECIs

What we are working on today

Staffing and Projects 2022 Staff breakout

• 14 Civil Service staff

• 24 full-time + 6 part-time/interns split between all contracts supporting

TSM

• ~ 10 summer interns

Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)

• NASA Announcement of

Collaborative Opportunities (ACOs)

• Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

• Refractory Alloy Additive

Manufacture Build Optimization)

RAAMBO

• NASA Early Career Initiative (ECI)

• Entry System Modeling (ESM)

• SBIR/STTR/STRG/NSTGRO

• Advanced Computational Center for Entry System Simulation

(ACCESS)

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate ESDMD/ Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD)

• Orion Demonstration Flight

Instrumentation (DFI)

• Artemis/Orion TPS

• Human Landing System (HLS)

• Multisorb

Science Mission Directorate (SMD)

• Dragonfly

• Dragonfly Entry Aerosciences Measurements

(DrEAM)

• Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and

Landing Instrument 2 (MEDLI2)

• Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System

• Mars Sample Return Sample Retrieval Lander

• PICA-D

Reimbursables/Other

• Space Act Agreements with commercial partners

NASA Engineering and Safety Center Technical Discipline Teams (NESC TDT) Membership/Support

Planetary Defense Coordination Office

• Asteroid Threat Assessment Project (ATAP)

Importance of Connection to low TRL Technology Development

The branch continues to seek partnerships and seed funding to advance technology

• Leverage Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program

• Leverage Center Innovation Fund (CIFs) / Independent Research and Development (IRADs)/Early

Career Initiative (ECIs)

• Leverage Collaborations