Biologically inspired radiation reflector

US9908642B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA · US

Inventors

• Sylvia M. Johnson · Piedmont, US
• John Lawson · Mountain View, US
• Thomas H. Squire · Alameda, US
• Michael Gusman · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 23, 2015
• Grant date: Mar 6, 2018
• Expiry date: Feb 29, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C04B2235/46
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A thermal protection system (TPS) comprising a mixture of silicon carbide and SiOx that has been converted from Si that is present in a collection of diatom frustules and at least one diatom has quasi-periodic pore-to-pore separation distance d(p-p) in a selected range. Where a heat shield comprising the converted SiC/SiOx frustules receives radiation, associated with atmospheric (re)entry, a portion of this radiation is reflected so that radiation loading of the heat shield is reduced.