Roberto GARDI, Barbara TISEO, Gianluca DIODATI, A. SORRENTINO, Vincenzo QUARANTA, Cedric JULIEN, Giuseppe GUIDOTTI, Giuseppe GOVERNALE, Francesco PUNZO, Pietro PASOLINI, Maxim DE JONG

DOI Number: 10.82241/ceas-hisst-2024-281

Conference number: HiSST-2024-281

Inflatable Heat Shields (IHS) are considered a breakthrough solution to support the realization of innovative re-entry space missions when two key factors are fundamental: increasing payload capability on the one hand and recovering the space system on the other. For this solution to become operational a number of key technologies must be matured to an appropriate level and that’s what was done in Europe through the projects EFESTO and EFESTO-2, respectively under the programs H2020 (grant nr.821801) and HORIZON EUROPE (grant nr. 1010811041). While the father project EFESTO ([1] to [3]) allowed an early exploration of technological challenges of the key elements, i.e. Inflatable Structure and Flexible Thermal Protection systems, with a significant TRL increase, the follow-up project EFESTO-2 ([4] to [6]) aims to consolidate some yet important technical elements providing a wider perspective from the system engineering standpoint. The EFESTO-2 project focused on the implementation of a sound testing effort to improve knowledge of this peculiar system with respect to the topics of aero-shape and structure. The aero-shape characterization, in undeformed and deformed status, was appointed through the execution of numerical and experimental investigation based on CFD models first, then wind-tunnel tests, and again post-test rebuilding. The structural and mechanical characterizing was appointed through numerical modelling and analysis first, then with extensive testing of a meaningful-size ground demonstrator of the inflatable structure, and then again with cross-correlation of test data with FEM results. This paper presents the work and the achievements strictly inherent to the structural investigation effort spanning from engineering and design of the inflatable structure for the reference re-entry vehicle, to ground testing of a demonstrator of the inflatable structure, and finally to numerical-experimental cross-correlation between models and real-hardware from a mechanical standpoint.

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In Categories: 1.Events, HiSST 2024, Materials and Structures
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