SPFI - A New TPS for Re-Entry Vehicles

DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG is currently developing a new Thermal Protection System (TPS) for future reentry vehicles. This TPS is called Surface Protected Flexible Insulation (SPFI) and is aimed to protect the windward side of such vehicles against the high heat fluxes during earth atmosphere re-entry.

This paper describes the design and development performed so far during the last few years. Further information about the pre-qualification program as well as preparations for in-flight qualification as experiment on X-34 are presented.