Thomas REIMER, Gisueppe Daniele DI MARTINO, Lucas DAUTH Luis BAIER, Ali GÜLHAN, Florian KLINGENBERG, Dorian HARGARTEN
DOI Number: N/A
Conference number: HiSST-2024-330
The DLR project STORT was focused on investigating key key technologies for flight at hypersonic Mach numbers of higher than 8. The main goal of the project is to enable cost reduction of future space transportation systems while keeping them reliable. To this end, reusability of the stages of a launcher system is a necessity. For first stages, a Mach number of 8-10 seems to be the optimum staging velocity, which means that technologies for the return flight of first stages at those speeds need to be developed and validated. Consequently, STORT aimed at achieving such operating conditions at Mach 8, to support the optimization and validation of technologies and simulation tools for the development of future space transportation systems. The present paper describes the design, manufacturing and integration of the rocket forebody assembly. The forebody thermal protection system structures require the use of ceramic matrix composite material for protection from the high heat loads experienced during the flight. In the present case the thermal protection system was constituted by C/C-SiC composite structures built in-house by DLR. The main elements were a conical nose element and four thin-walled shell segments manufactured via filament winding of carbon fibers fitted with integral fixation brackets. In addition, selected flight data collected on the thermal protection system is presented.
