Development of Low-Cost High Temperature Reusable Thermal Protection System (LCHT TPS - ACO)

Completed NASA Game Changing Development project led by Johnson Space Center from 2023-04-27 to 2024-09-30 with Ames Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, and Sierra Space support. LCHT TPS developed low-cost, high-temperature reusable thermal-protection tiles for the Dream Chaser space plane and the wider space-transportation industry. The proposed system combines a ceramic insulating base with a high-temperature oxidation-resistant outer layer, targets repeated flights at surface temperatures up to 3,100 degrees Fahrenheit, and uses advanced manufacturing to reduce cost and increase production rate. Sierra Space and Oak Ridge National Laboratory collaboration also supported a pilot production path in Louisville, Colorado, with a second facility planned in Florida.