Experimental Test Case
Start Date
28-2-2012 5:40 PM
Description
Over the last several years, there has been increasing demand from ablation scientists to have open access to an ablative material. On the modeling side, researchers want to verify and test the various models used in their codes. Similarly, experimentalists want to benchmark their measurement techniques and study specific aspects of the ”real” materials. Unfortunately, most materials used for current re-entry applications fall under ITAR regulations, and are therefore unavailable to international researchers. This has the effect of inhibiting collaboration with academia, even within US institutions. Moreover, even within the confines of the ITAR regulations, data exchange is tedious and time consuming.
It is the hope of this panel to explore and propose solutions to this problem. One possible solution is to study a non-flyable, non-ITAR restricted material that is currently used for commercial applications. That material, if judged suitable for such a task, could be used as a basis for experimental and theoretical ablation studies. Other solutions, such as designing a light weight, non-flyable ablator similar to ablators in current use, will also be explored. Finally, the feasibility of re-regulating restricted materials will also be discussed.
In the event of a material being selected, it is also the hope of this panel to start devising an experimental inter-comparison exercise, which will provide results to calibrate and verify material response codes.
Experimental Test Case
Over the last several years, there has been increasing demand from ablation scientists to have open access to an ablative material. On the modeling side, researchers want to verify and test the various models used in their codes. Similarly, experimentalists want to benchmark their measurement techniques and study specific aspects of the ”real” materials. Unfortunately, most materials used for current re-entry applications fall under ITAR regulations, and are therefore unavailable to international researchers. This has the effect of inhibiting collaboration with academia, even within US institutions. Moreover, even within the confines of the ITAR regulations, data exchange is tedious and time consuming.
It is the hope of this panel to explore and propose solutions to this problem. One possible solution is to study a non-flyable, non-ITAR restricted material that is currently used for commercial applications. That material, if judged suitable for such a task, could be used as a basis for experimental and theoretical ablation studies. Other solutions, such as designing a light weight, non-flyable ablator similar to ablators in current use, will also be explored. Finally, the feasibility of re-regulating restricted materials will also be discussed.
In the event of a material being selected, it is also the hope of this panel to start devising an experimental inter-comparison exercise, which will provide results to calibrate and verify material response codes.