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Thermal protection systems (TPS) for hypersonic transport vehicles are described and evaluated. During the flight through the atmosphere moderate to high aerodynamic heating rates with corresponding high surface temperatures are generated. Therefore, a reliable light- weight but effective TPS is required, that limits the heat transfer into the central fuselage with the liquid hydrogen tank and that prevents the penetration of the temperature peak during stage separation to the load carrying structure. The heat transfer modes in the insulation are solid conduction, gas conduction, gas convection and radiation. Thermal protection systems based on different phenomena to reduce the heat transfer, like vacuum shingles, inert gas filled shingles, microporous insulations and multiwall structures, are described. It is demonstrated that microporous and multiwall insulations are efficient, light weight and reliable TPSs for future hypersonic transportation systems.

Actively cooled and re-radiative leading edges were investigated as typical thermal protection elements for thermally high loaded areas of advanced launchers. A performance trade-off led to the selection of a C/SiC thermostructural concept. Mechanical and thermal analyses demonstrated the adequacy of the selected design. Manufacturing leading edge demonstrators with a small nose radius, different thicknesses of the outer skin and the integration of stringers was realised with good surface smoothness and contour accuracy. Thermal cycle tests with temperatures up to 1000°C in an oxidising environment were performed without any visible damage.