ABSTRACT
New applications for thermography in the aerospace industry are continually being developed. Many applications are shared with other industries, while some are unique to aerospace. One of the earliest uses of thermography in aerospace was TNDT of composite materials. Numerous researchers have used computer modeling to theoretically predict the results of TNDT tests on various materials. NDT standards are commonly used to verify the effectiveness of TNDT techniques as well as to compare the results of computer predictions with experimental data. TNDT was used to inspect both for delaminations in the skin and for detecting disbonds between the skin and the internal structural members. Atlas launch vehicles, manufactured by GDSS, have a number of large parts in the thrust structure which are made of aluminum honeycomb covered on both sides by fiberglass facesheets.
