A European leader in the field, ArianeGroup has decades of expertise in developing, producing and applying high-performance thermal protection materials which can withstand the extreme conditions encountered by space-going vehicles. These materials provide thermal protection for both civil and military space vehicles, shielding them from the powerful aerothermal flux experienced during the acceleration, flight and entry phases.
The critically-exposed parts of spacecraft are treated – by bonding, moulding or spraying processes – with various thermal protection materials specifically adapted to withstand the particular aerothermal conditions of the missions.
Thermal protection products
A range of thermal protection products for all types of missions
Prosial®, a lightweight silicon-based insulant, is spray-layered onto parts, particularly suitable for treating complex-geometry pieces. The thickness of the Prosial® coating can range from a millimetre to two centimeters. 200m2 of the Ariane 6 launcher’s surface is protected using Prosial®.
The Norcoat® product line is widely used (for launchers and defence applications and a host of space-exploring craft) and is highly versatile – the cork-based version Norcoat® Liège HPK has a thickness range of 1–120 m and comes in several options, such as water-repellant and fire-retardant, the silicon-based version can be moulded directly onto spacecraft parts (a radiotransparent is available) and Norcoat® Flex offers fabric assembly, ensuring flexible protection for moving parts.
Carbon-phenolic resin prepreg composites constitute another principal group of products in ArianeGroup’s thermal protection portfolio. Pre-impregnated phenolic fabric can be used directly for draping or winding, ideal for improving internal insulation of launcher engine nozzles, for example. Over 100 Ariane rockets have been successfully launched with this technology. Asterm®, a low-density impregnated carbon felt, is specially designed for challenging missions such as deep space probes. Naxeco® Phenolic is a structural ablative material that combines high mechanical strength with strong insulating properties
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