Investigating Multi-Layered Cold Spray Technology for Spacecraft Thermal Protection Systems

The extreme thermal and mechanical conditions of atmospheric reentry demand robust and reusable thermal protection systems (TPS). This project investigates the feasibility of using cold spray, a solid-state deposition method, to develop a multi-layered TPS capable of withstanding high-temperature environments while enabling faster refurbishment between missions. Traditional ablative TPS are single-use and time-sensitive to refurbish, motivating the need for an innovative approach. This study introduces a four-layer TPS architecture with distinct functional roles: a convective heat-resistant surface layer, a load-buffering intermediate later, a high-performance insulation layer, and a mechanically supportive substrate. Cold spray is evaluated for its ability to deposit metallic and metal-ceramic composites onto curved surfaces without degradation. Using 2D axisymmetric CFD simulations at Mach 2 and scaled data for expected peak heating of Mach 12, the thermal environment of a capsule side panel was modeled to inform material selection. Preliminary results suggest that cold spray is most viable for substrate and intermediate layers in low-curvature regions, though the lack of commercially available ceramic-metallic powders limits full implementation. Future success depends on the developing compatible powders and addressing thermal barrier interfaces to prevent delimitation. This foundational work supports continued exploration of cold spray TPS technologies for reusable spacecraft applications

Three people in a perfume factory in Khodjent (Khujand), Tajikistan, Central Asia, ca. 1932

Photograph of three people in a perfume factory in Central Asia, taken by Lotte Jacobi, December 13, 1932. Two women and a man are holding perfume bottles in a factory. The women are wearing headscarves and have their hair in two braids and the man is wearing an embroidered hat.https://scholars.unh.edu/jacobi_ussr_central_asia/2508/thumbnail.jp

Crowd at November holiday gathering in Stalinabad (Dushanbe), Tajikistan, Central Asia, ca. 1932-1933

Photograph of a November holiday gathering in Stalinabad (Dushanbe), taken by Lotte Jacobi in Tajikistan, Central Asia, ca. 1932-1933. High-angle shot of a crowd gathered for a November holiday. Many people in the crowd are wearing coats and flat cloth caps, some are wearing fur-brimmed hats, and a few are wearing embroidered hats or patterned coats.https://scholars.unh.edu/jacobi_ussr_central_asia/2077/thumbnail.jp

Worker in a factory in the USSR, ca. 1932-1933

Photograph of a worker in a factory, taken by Lotte Jacobi in the USSR, ca. 1932-1933. A man dressed in boots, worn clothes, and a flat cloth cap is working by a furnace.https://scholars.unh.edu/jacobi_ussr_central_asia/3720/thumbnail.jp

Horse-drawn cart on a street in Central Asia, ca. 1932-1933

Photograph of a horse-drawn cart on a street in Central Asia, taken by Lotte Jacobi, ca. 1932-1933. A man wearing a coat and embroidered hat is driving a horse-drawn cart filled with what appear to be logs down a rutted dirt road lined by buildings and bare trees. The man is stopped, leaning over on his horse, looking at the camera.https://scholars.unh.edu/jacobi_ussr_central_asia/2710/thumbnail.jp

Raja Chodscheieff at the store in Tajikistan, Central Asia, ca. 1932

Photograph of Raja Chodscheieff, wife of Isa Chodscheieff, taken by Lotte Jacobi in Tajikistan, Central Asia, November 1932. Raja Chodscheieff is standing at a counter in a store, wearing a coat and hat. Two men wearing coats and embroidered hats are standing behind the counter. A balance scale is on the counter in the foreground.https://scholars.unh.edu/jacobi_ussr_central_asia/3143/thumbnail.jp

People in front of a railroad station in Stalinabad (Dushanbe), Tajikistan, Central Asia, ca. 1932-1933

Photograph of people in front of a railroad station in Stalinabad (Dushanbe), taken by Lotte Jacobi in Tajikistan, Central Asia, ca. 1932-1933. Five people are gathered by the exterior wall of a railroad station. One man is holding up an object, his shadow prominent on the wall, and another person in robes and a headscarf is kneeling by his feet.https://scholars.unh.edu/jacobi_ussr_central_asia/1913/thumbnail.jp

Musician from Tajikistan in Stalinabad (Dushanbe), Tajikistan, Central Asia, ca. 1932

Photograph of a musician in Stalinabad (Dushanbe), taken by Lotte Jacobi in Tajikistan, Central Asia, November 25, 1932. High-angle shot of a musician wearing a patterned coat and embroidered hat, sitting cross-legged on a rug, playing a string instrument with a bow.https://scholars.unh.edu/jacobi_ussr_central_asia/2466/thumbnail.jp