Materials and Structures for the European Future Launcher Preparatory Programme

Paper number

IAC-06-C2.4.02

Author

Mr. Daniele Francesconi, NGL Prime SpA, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Angelo Denaro, Alenia Spazio, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Guy Ramusat, European Space Agency (ESA), France

Year

2006

Abstract

The study logic of the Future Launcher Preparatory Programme (FLPP) is based on a system driven key technology identification process for all operational phases of a reusable launcher's mission, with special emphasis on the re-entry phenomena and re-use cycles. For each phase, a plan of activities is set up in the framework of this programme to achieve the necessary readiness level (Technology - TRL, and Integration - IRL) at the very beginning of the development of the launcher system, expected to take place in the next decade.
Several technologies belonging to the fields of Thermal Protection Systems and Hot Structures (TPS / HS), lightweight advanced primary structures, innovative health monitoring features applied to primary structures (SHMS) and engines, have been set into a development path as part of a Technology Development and Testing Roadmap (TDTR) encompassing the entire required technologies scenario.
In addition to on-ground development testing, the TDTR also covers the in-flight experimentation of these technologies. For the re-entry assessment of the most critical ones, a dedicated unmanned in-flight experimentation vehicle, dubbed IXV (Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle), is currently under development as part of the programme.
In selected cases, a technology structural test article or subsystem demonstrator is designed to the actual experimental vehicle interfaces, produced to usual flight quality standards and on-ground tested to the flight requirements of the vehicle and then implemented and flown as protoflight hardware element on-board IXV.
The present paper provides an overview of the current status of the "Materials and Structures" activities, with special emphasis on the approaches adopted to optimize experimentation efficiency and system level synthesis of the results.

Abstract document

IAC-06-C2.4.02.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-C2.4.02.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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