Laser Heating for Testing Rocket-Engine Insulating Phenolic

A continuous-wave CO2 laser has been selected as a source of heat for testing the thermal response of carbon-cloth phenolic like that used as insulating material in a reusable solid-fuel rocket motor (RSRM). The particular thermal response of interest, observed during operation of an RSRM, is pocketing. By suitable adjustment of the size and power of the laser beam, the rate of heating can be made nearly identical to that in the RSRM nozzle during operation.