Atmospheric entry has commenced. You feel an acute force press on your chest as the Earth’s atmosphere decelerates your space capsule from its hypersonic velocity eight times greater than a speeding bullet, converting its kinetic energy into something equally dangerous: thermal energy. Aware of the extreme high-temperature conditions your capsule is currently enduring, you are not surprised to see the radiant glow of ionized air plasma out the spacecraft window. Without the sacrificial decomposition of the ablative thermal protection system (TPS), the vehicle, along with your crew, would be vaporized. At the CHESS Plasmatron X, ablative TPS materials are put to the test and studied, being subjected to entry-like high-enthalpy plasma flows. In this image, a wedge of low-density carbon fiber material was injected into supersonic air plasma. The nose of the sample, normally black, radiates white-hot at over 2,000°C, while mechanical erosion of fibers (i.e., spallation) manifests as brilliant streaks emanating from the leading edge. This ongoing research into spallation-induced mass loss is critical in engineering efficient and effective TPS for future space vehicles. So, as your perilous descent concludes, you can rest assured in the innovative research within the world of hypersonic materials, promising safe passage home.
