NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Collections About News Help Login
Back to Results
Monitoring of Thermal Protection Systems and MMOD using Robust Self-Organizing Optical Fiber Sensing Networks The general aim of this work is to develop and demonstrate a prototype structural health monitoring system for thermal protection systems that incorporates piezoelectric acoustic emission (AE) sensors to detect the occurrence and location of damaging impacts, such as those from Micrometeoroid Orbital Debris (MMOD). The approach uses an optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor network to evaluate the effect of detected damage on the thermal conductivity of the TPS material. Following detection of an impact, the TPS would be exposed to a heat source, possibly the sun, and the temperature distribution on the inner surface in the vicinity of the impact measured by the FBG network. A similar procedure could also be carried out as a screening test immediately prior to re-entry. The implications of any detected anomalies in the measured temperature distribution will be evaluated for their significance in relation to the performance of the TPS during reentry. Such a robust TPS health monitoring system would ensure overall crew safety throughout the mission, especially during reentry.
Document ID
20140006736
Acquisition Source
Armstrong Flight Research Center
Document Type
Other
Authors
Richards, Lance (NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Edwards, CA United States)
Date Acquired
June 4, 2014
Publication Date
January 1, 2014
Subject Category
Optics
Report/Patent Number
DFRC-E-DAA-TN13508
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
Fiber Optic Sensors
Composite Materials
Structural Health Monitoring

Related Records

There are no records associated with this record.
No Preview Available