Health Management and Non-destructive Evaluation for Reusable Launch Vehicles

Martin Marietta is developing the methodology to determine the health of reusable launch vehicle systems and demonstrating this methodology on a composite cryogenic tank. Non-destructive evaluation and health management techniques combine to provide an operationally efficient, autonomous inspection/monitoring system. Non-destructive evaluation techniques will initially perform inspections and determine structural integrity. Health management systems will automatically collect and analyze system data during operations to determine system status. Non-destructive evaluation methodologies will be directed by the health management system to reduce the amount of required post-flight inspection for recertification of reusable cryogenic tanks.