Fletcher, Seth. "Tech Watch: NASA's Heat Ray, Rocket Defense, Martian Spacesuit and More." Popular Mechanics. Aug. 2006. 22 Jan. 2007 http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/3281776.html?page=1.
This artifact is about testing the new heat shields for the CEV. When a spacecraft reenters our atmosphere friction causes immense amounts of heat. These shields are supposed to protect the CEV and the astronauts from the heat. The CEV will reenter the atmosphere faster than the space shuttle. Therefore, it will require better heat shields.
To test and develop this new material they use an arc jet to heat the material to 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is supposed to replicate the reentry conditions. The previous shuttle shields are described as the "shuttle's notorious tiles." Hopefully this testing will lead to NASA choosing a better and safer material for the CEV
Questions:
1. has NASA chosen a material?
2. How is it better than the space shuttles tiles?
Monday, January 22, 2007
Testing the heat shield
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