You are here

An Innovative Approach to Integrated Thermal Protection Systems and Structures for Hypervelocity Vehicles

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: F2960103C0073
Agency Tracking Number: 01-0186
Amount: $734,551.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2003
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
620 Discovery Drive, Bldg I, Ste 100
Huntsville, AL 35806
United States
DUNS: 786272674
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Bruce Moylan
 Principal Investigator
 (256) 922-1141
 bmoylan@aerothermo.com
Business Contact
 Wendy Wilson
Title: President
Phone: (256) 922-1141
Email: wwilson@aerothermo.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

The thermal protection system (TPS) community is in critical need of a newdesign paradigm if the vision of low maintenance, high sortie rate spacevehicles is to be realized. A revolutionary change is needed in the TPSdesign approach and in the use of innovative materials that can survive longdurations in an extreme heating environment without significant ablation.Low erosion, low conductivity materials which require little or nomaintenance between flights, coupled with an integrated hot structure designwhich eliminates bond lines and the substructure, are critical enablingtechnologies needed to make the objectives of the U.S. Air Force's SpaceManeuver Vehicle (SMV), or any other reusable space vehicle, obtainable.During a recently completed SBIR Phase I effort conducted for the BallisticMissile Defense Organization and sponsored by the Air Force ResearchLaboratory, AT2 developed a revolutionary TPS design that will virtuallyeliminate refurbishment between flights while providing a 40 to 50 percentreduction in weight over the most advanced lightweight designs currentlyenvisioned. This proposal offers an avenue to further develop the TPSdesign for potential application to the USAF SMV, NASA's next generationSpace Shuttle, and advanced missile defense interceptors designed to operatewithin the atmosphere.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government