8/7/2019 NASA Facts Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) Panels 2006

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The Vision or Space Explora-tion is being made a reality by

the Space Shuttle Program at Ken-nedy Space Center.

During re-entry into Earth’satmosphere, the Space Shuttle travelsmore than 17,000 miles per hour. Ex-terior surace temperatures can reachup to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

o protect the orbiter during re-entry, all external suraces are cov-ered with various types o TermalProtection System (PS) materials.

Te PS also protects the airrameand major systems rom the extremelycold conditions experienced when the vehicle is in the night phase o orbit.

Te main types o thermal mate-rials are Reinorced Carbon- Carbon(RCC), Low- and High-emperatureReusable Surace Insulation tiles, FeltReusable Surace Insulation blankets,Fibrous Insulation blankets and Inco-nel honeycomb panels.

Te RCC panels are used on the orbiter’s wing 

leading edges; the nose cap and an area immediatelya o the nose cap on the lower surace (chin panel);and the area immediately around the orwardorbiter/external tank structural attachment point.Te panels are manuactured by Lockheed-Martin’sMissile and Fire Control Facilities in Dallas, exas.

Te leading edges o each o the orbiters’ wingshave 22 RCC panels. Tey are light gray and madeentirely o carbon composite material. Te moldedcomponents are approximately 0.25-inch to 0.5-

inch thick. During abrication, the RCC panelsare treated so they are resistant to oxidation and

covered with a silicon carbide coating and a nalcoating o a glass sealant. Tey can withstandtemperatures up to 3,220 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although the RCC panels are strong andcapable o withstanding extreme temperatures,they are thermally conductive. Tis brings a needto extensively use insulating blankets and tilesbehind the RCC panels to protect the structureand attach ttings rom heat radiated rom thebackside.

Reinforced Carbon-Carbon(RCC) Panels 

Engineers from around NASA are working on improving the RCC panels usedon the leading edge of the wing of the orbiters. In the Orbiter ProcessingFacility, astronaut Scott E. Parazynski joins some of them in front of thepanels on Atlantis.

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

8/7/2019 NASA Facts Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) Panels 2006

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Prior to each Space Shuttle mission, the RCC panels undergo three inspections to ensure their

integrity. Te rst is a post-fight, visual micro detailinspection o the PS, which includes the RCC.During this inspection, all exterior suraces o theorbiter are closely examined and any damage isdocumented or repair.

Te second is a pre-rollout inspection o PSthat also includes the RCC. Tis visual inspectionchecks again or any external damage. Te third isa “tactile test,” or hands-on test, that examines thehottest panels (panels 6-17) or evidence o loose orseparated coating. Tese inspections are required

and perormed or every fight.I damage is seen, the RCC section is removedand returned to the vendor or repair and reurbish-ment. Also, aer a specied number o missions,the RCC panels are sent back to the vendor to berecoated.

During return-to-fight activities, all RCC pan-els undergo extensive nondestructive inspections(NDI) and nondestructive evaluations (NDE).NDI inspections include the use o thermographyand CA scan to detect imperections or cracksin the structures on and below the surace. Ter-

mography, a relatively new procedure at KSC, useshigh intensity light to heat areas o the panels. Te

 panels are then immediately scanned with an in-rared camera. As the panels cool, internal faws arerevealed. Tis orm o NDI is in the developmentstage at KSC as RCC panel testing proceeds.

Computer-aided CA scan uses magneticresonance to scan the internal structure o the RCC panels. Panels are sent to a lab in Canoga Park, Ca-

li., where a much larger machine is used to detectfaws.

NDE methods include eddy current, ultra-sound and X-ray. Eddy current is a technique thatmeasures coating thickness and density propertieso the panels. An electronic eld detects disturbanc-es in the panels, such as cracks and imperections.

During an ultrasound inspection, sound pulse waves are sent out to the component. As they arereceived back, deects and discontinuities are de-tected. X-rays o panels are perormed at LockheedMartin acilities in Dallas, exas.

In addition, several inspections o the metalcomponents behind the RCC panels are perormed.First, a visual inspection reveals any faws to the na-ked eye. A dye-pen test, using a dye o red or purple,is applied to the component. Ten, a blacklight isused to reveal any liquid that has penetrated thecomponents, indicating cracks on or deeper thanthe surace. Current requirements state KSC willinspect all o the thermal protection system andRCC to veriy integrity beore fight.

United Space Alliance worker Dan Kenna positions aReinforced Carbon-Carbon panel on the table to performfash thermography. In the background, Paul Ogletreeobserves the monitor.

United Space Alliance worker Mike Hyatt attaches aReinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panel onto the leadingedge of the wing of the orbiter Atlantis.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Kennedy Space Center, FL

www.nasa.gov

FS-2004-01-001-KSC (Rev. 2006)

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