Abstract
The ceramic Thermal Protection System (TPS) consists of ceramic tiles bonded to felt pads which are in turn bonded to the Orbiter substructure to protect the aluminum substructure from the heat of reentry. The successful certification of the TPS for first flight required the joint effort of several NASA centers, the prime contractor, and university consultants led by the TPS system managers from the NASA Johnson Space Center. This paper describes the TPS and addresses the results of some of the experimental work including dynamic response studies performed at the NASA Langley Research Center in support of the efforts to certify the TPS for flight.
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