In the early fall, a re-entry research vehicle is scheduled to be flight tested to obtain aerothermodynamic and elastic environmental test data at various flight angles and speeds. This paper deals with the temperature portion of that vehicle.
Specifically, it considers the analytical temperature profile at various portions of the vehicle, the history and stability testing of the thermocouples as well as their coatings, the manufacturing procedure for the sensors, and the problem areas encountered during their processing.
The materials selected for the flight test are: molybdenum, columbium and platinum-20% rhodium sheaths, magnesium and beryllium oxide insulation, and tungsten-5% rhenium versus tungsten-26% rhenium and platinum versus platinum-10% rhodium thermoelements.