NASA tests heat shields as Cygnus XL leaves space station

NASA is testing heat shields for Moon and Mars astronaut returns by taking out station trash. Northrop Grumman's 24th cargo resupply mission for NASA undocked the Cygnus XL spacecraft from the International Space Station. The vehicle departed with waste and 12 small experimental capsules.

Northrop Grumman's 24th cargo resupply flight for NASA used a Cygnus XL spacecraft. The vehicle undocked from the International Space Station and departed.

Its payload included waste and 12 small, experimental capsules.

KREPE-3, the Kentucky Reentry Probe Experiment, is the third in a group of low-cost, high-impact missions and uses the final moments of a cargo spacecraft's lifespan to gather data. It is a collaboration involving NASA EPSCoR, NASA centers, federal and commercial partners, the state of Kentucky, and the University of Kentucky, whose students designed the capsules.

The capsules carry sensors for temperature, pressure, motion, magnetic field, and light. They collect data on experimental heat shield materials, and satellite signals transfer live data to researchers.

NASA Ames contributed several materials to KREPE-3, and KREPE-3 includes ceramic tile material used on the space shuttle. MERINO is a next-generation family of protective coverings made from stitched layers of carbon and phenolic fibers; the coverings are more flexible and faster to produce, and they cost less than traditional protective substances. MERINO coverings are described as promising candidates for Mars missions, which have lower heat loads and lighter protection because of a thinner atmosphere.

The Kentucky Instrumented Conical Hypersonic Experiment has a dual-cone shape with a tungsten tip attached to a carbon and heat-resistant plastic fiber cone, and its aft cone is wrapped in MERINO. It validates computer models against real-world data. One KREPE-3 capsule is shaped like Dragonfly's protective aeroshell and tests dynamic stability; Dragonfly's landing site is Titan.

For lunar-industry watchers, the test ties station waste disposal to heat-shield data for Moon and Mars astronaut returns. The experiment uses the final moments of a cargo spacecraft to gather data.

The payload carries sensors and experimental heat-shield materials. MERINO coverings are wrapped around the aft cone of the hypersonic experiment and are described as promising for Mars missions. Another capsule tests dynamic stability in a shape like Dragonfly's aeroshell, and the hypersonic experiment checks computer models against real-world data.

The Cygnus XL is on a planned route to break apart in Earth's atmosphere. KREPE-3 uses the cargo spacecraft's final moments to gather data, and satellite signals transfer live data to researchers.