ABSTRACT
This chapter provides insight into various stages involved in the design, development, and testing of a thermal protection system for sharp leading edges of hypersonic space vehicles. Hypersonic air breathing vehicles are next-generation high-speed vehicles which enable travel at speeds greater than 5 times the speed of sound. The heating rates are typically proportional to the cube root of the vehicle velocity. Especially at the leading edges of the vehicles, stagnation results in a significant increase in the temperature and pressure. In order to assess the material response to arc jet heating, it is imperative to know the temperature at the front wall and the spatio-temporal evolution of temperature all over the ceramic composite. Conventional materials cannot withstand such extreme loads, in particular, for long duration operation and requires a thermal protection system. In this regard, ultra-high-temperature ceramics are recommended for such applications.
