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Thermal Hardware

Hot Insulation and Protection

HPS develops, manufactures and integrates high performance elements for launchers and re-entry vehicles in order to protect the load-carrying structure from extremely high aerodynamic-induced thermal flux.

Reference mission examples with Hot Insulation and Protection:

  • Several studies for the Exo Mars Mission 2016 EDM (Schiaparelli) re-entry heatshield.
  • Several heatshield concepts for re-usable re-entry missions
  • Camera housing for VEGA launcher
  • Study for Smart Thermal Protection system which seals holes automatically.
  • Study for implementing sensors in ablative thermal protection systems

We are offering engineering consultancy services as well as delivery of mission tailored products ready for integration.

Several technologies, concepts and test processes have been developed. The following categories are in our portfolio:
  • Multi-layer High Temperature Insulation
  • Cork-based High Temperature Protection

Thermal Hardware

Multi-layer High Temperature Insulation

Hot Insulation test samples
Hot Insulation Stack

High Performance Insulations

Product name “HPI” – suitable for thermally highly loaded launcher parts and re-entry vehicles. Partly these insulations are re-usable, such as for ceramic based heat shields.

Higher temperature applications have been already tested with adapted materials as described:

Medium hot insulation Temperature Insulation Package (Up to 1000°C):
• Max. Shingle Temp.: 1.000°C for 1.200 sec
• Max. Cold Structure Temp.: 170°C
• Location: Windward surfaces
• Lifetime: 50 re-entries, 15 years
• Thickness: 40 mm
• Weight: < 4 kg/m2

High hot insulation Temperature Insulation Package (Up to 1600°C):
• Max. Shingle Temp.: 1.600°C for 1.200 sec
• Max. Cold Structure Temp.: 170°C
• Location: Nose Cap/Leading Edges
• Lifetime: 50 re-entries, 15 years
• Thickness: 80 mm
• Weight: < 8 kg/m2

Typical material characteristics are:

Outer Layer Epsilon: approx. 0.8 [-]
Outer Layer Alpha: approx. 0.2 [-]
Temperature range: From cryogen up to +500° C*
Thermal conductivity:
< 0.05 (W/mK) at RT
< 0.5 (W/mK) at 1000°C [-]

Thermal Hardware

Cork-based High Temperature Protection

Camera housing for VEGA Launcher (painted Cork), launched in 2012

Cork-based High Temperature Protection

Cork is a quite cost-effective thermal protection, easy for tooling & bonding and can sustain up to 400° C. Special treatment of the raw cork material provides specific capabilities to protect secondary structures from overheating. In extreme cases the material works as ablator, e.g. for non-re-usable re-entry vehicles.

HPS offers as a service the thermal protection design, procurement, machining, glueing and surface finishing of cork-based insulations.

Higher temperature applications have been already tested with adapted materials as described:

Medium hot insulation Temperature Insulation Package (Up to 1000°C):
• Max. Shingle Temp.: 1.000°C for 1.200 sec
• Max. Cold Structure Temp.: 170°C
• Location: Windward surfaces
• Lifetime: 50 re-entries, 15 years
• Thickness: 40 mm
• Weight: < 4 kg/m2

High hot insulation Temperature Insulation Package (Up to 1600°C):
• Max. Shingle Temp.: 1.600°C for 1.200 sec
• Max. Cold Structure Temp.: 170°C
• Location: Nose Cap/Leading Edges
• Lifetime: 50 re-entries, 15 years
• Thickness: 80 mm
• Weight: < 8 kg/m2

Typical material characteristics are:

Outer Layer Epsilon: approx. 0.8 [-] (painted)
Outer Layer Alpha: approx. 0.2 [-] (painted)
Temperature range: From cryogen up to +400° C
Thermal conductivity:
< 0.1 (W/mK)