reentry vehicle articles
What is the primary cause of extreme heating during atmospheric reentry?
What is the fundamental purpose of the Thermal Protection System (TPS)?
For which type of mission are sacrificial ablative shields generally considered ideal?
How do ablative materials protect the underlying vehicle structure?
Which Shuttle component protected the absolute hottest zones like the nose cap and wing leading edges?
What is the composition of Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels?
What was the primary structural temperature goal for the aluminum skin beneath the HRSI tiles on the Orbiter's underbelly?
Where were the flexible Fibrous Refractory Composite Insulation (FRCI) blankets typically installed on the Shuttle Orbiter?
What catastrophic risk is associated with poor installation or misalignment between TPS components?
What is one significant shift in material science driving new heat shield development away from the Shuttle era design?
What primarily causes the intense heat during high-speed atmospheric reentry?
How do ablative heat shields protect the spacecraft structure?
What is the main drawback of using a single-use ablative heat shield system?
What was noted about the Orion spacecraft's ablative shield performance during the Artemis I high-speed reentry test?
How does a blunt body shape aid the Thermal Protection System compared to a lifting body shape?
Beyond surviving vaporization, what critical property must the TPS material possess regarding heat transfer?
How does a shallow, "skipping" reentry affect the heating profile on the heat shield?
What is generally true regarding the materials used in reusable TPS systems like those on the Space Shuttle?
What is the approximate velocity mentioned for a vehicle traveling at orbital speed impacting the atmosphere?
How does the reentry intensity for Orion (returning from deep space) compare to a low Earth orbit return?
What is the approximate speed of a craft returning from low Earth orbit?
What is the actual source of the extreme temperature experienced during reentry?
How does an ablative heat shield protect the underlying structure?
What is the primary optimization goal for a reusable booster during reentry, contrasting with expendable capsules?
What does aerodynamic braking primarily accomplish in the initial reentry phase for reusable vehicles?
Why is the reentry burn performed by vehicles like the Falcon 9 crucial?
What is the key role of devices like the Falcon 9's grid fins?
What results from a craft entering the atmosphere at too steep an angle?
What risk is associated with a reentry entry angle that is too shallow?