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Aerospace
Volume 13
Issue 3
10.3390/aerospace13030278
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Thermo-Mechanical Design of the C/C-SiC-Based Thermal Protection Structure for the Forebody of the Hypersonic Sounding Rocket STORT †

by
Giuseppe Daniele Di Martino
1,*,
Thomas Reimer
1,
Luis Baier
1,
Lucas Dauth
1,
Dorian Hargarten
2 and
Ali Gülhan
3
1
DLR Institute of Structures and Design, Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
2
DLR Space Operations and Astronaut Training, Münchener Straße 20, 82234 Weßling, Germany
3
DLR Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology, Linder Höhe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
This article is a revised and expanded version of a paper entitled Structure Design of a Sounding Rocket Fairing with a Segmented Filament Winding-Ceramic Matrix Composite Thermal Protection System, which was presented at the 2nd International Conference on High-Speed Vehicle Science Technology, Brugges, Belgium, 11–15 September 2022.
Aerospace 2026, 13(3), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13030278 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 6 February 2026 / Revised: 13 March 2026 / Accepted: 13 March 2026 / Published: 16 March 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Re-entry flights of reusable first or upper stages typically foresee phases in the hypersonic flight regime, characterized by severe aero-thermal loads which could become critical for the most exposed components, like the vehicle forebody or the fin leading edges. These require consequently dedicated thermal protection systems (TPS), whose design generally requires a multi-disciplinary approach. In this framework, a viable solution is the use of high-temperature resistant ceramic matrix composite (CMC) structures, but the implementation of such technology, especially for the manufacturing of complex components and its application in real flight conditions, still presents significant challenges. In this work, the design activities for the CMC-based TPS of the payload forebody of a hypersonic sounding rocket are presented, developed within the framework of the STORT project, whose mission includes in flight demonstration of multiple critical technologies required for sustained flight at Mach numbers above 8, corresponding to a significantly high integral thermal load.
Keywords: ceramic matrix composites; thermal protection system; hypersonic flight experiment ceramic matrix composites; thermal protection system; hypersonic flight experiment

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MDPI and ACS Style

Di Martino, G.D.; Reimer, T.; Baier, L.; Dauth, L.; Hargarten, D.; Gülhan, A. Thermo-Mechanical Design of the C/C-SiC-Based Thermal Protection Structure for the Forebody of the Hypersonic Sounding Rocket STORT. Aerospace 2026, 13, 278. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13030278

AMA Style

Di Martino GD, Reimer T, Baier L, Dauth L, Hargarten D, Gülhan A. Thermo-Mechanical Design of the C/C-SiC-Based Thermal Protection Structure for the Forebody of the Hypersonic Sounding Rocket STORT. Aerospace. 2026; 13(3):278. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13030278

Chicago/Turabian Style

Di Martino, Giuseppe Daniele, Thomas Reimer, Luis Baier, Lucas Dauth, Dorian Hargarten, and Ali Gülhan. 2026. "Thermo-Mechanical Design of the C/C-SiC-Based Thermal Protection Structure for the Forebody of the Hypersonic Sounding Rocket STORT" Aerospace 13, no. 3: 278. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13030278

APA Style

Di Martino, G. D., Reimer, T., Baier, L., Dauth, L., Hargarten, D., & Gülhan, A. (2026). Thermo-Mechanical Design of the C/C-SiC-Based Thermal Protection Structure for the Forebody of the Hypersonic Sounding Rocket STORT. Aerospace, 13(3), 278. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace13030278

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