Correct... Titanium can not be used on a reentering vehicle's leading edge

Space/Science » in reply to re: SR-71 doesnt face re-entry temps...

Correct... Titanium can not be used on a reentering vehicle's leading edge

Gary — 4/24/2005 2:43:15 AM (archived)

R.L. is quite correct that titanium can not be used on a reentering vehicle's leading edge. I mentioned in another post that reinforced carbon carbon (RCC) or an exotic material like hafnium diboride would have to be used for the leading edges.

Years ago I did the calculation so my memory is hazy about this but I vaguely remember the peak Mach number for an uncooled titanium leading edge at 110,000 feet is around Mach = 3.5 . This was one of the things that limited the SR-71's peak Mach number. Of course the leading edges can be regenerative cooled and that would permit a higher Mach number. There was idle speculation that Aurora flew with regeneratively cooled titanium leading edges.

Gary

The whole thread (44 posts)

Mike Griffin's road map to Mars - Gary - 4/22/2005 6:07:50 AM
- I think rocket technology is about as good as it's going to get - SDF - 4/22/2005 5:22:04 PM
  - I still like my idea for a pleated rocket nozzle. - Lee - 4/23/2005 7:49:37 AM
    - re: pleated rocket nozzle. - Tom Brosz - 4/23/2005 5:56:42 PM
      - re: Obviously they fell short, otherwise they'd be in widespread use by now, right? (n/t) - SDF - 4/25/2005 1:00:18 PM
        
        Aerospike engines - Tom Brosz - 4/25/2005 3:18:38 PM
        
        Right. Ok. Well, if something is really complicated, it probably isn't worthwhile (n/t) - SDF - 4/26/2005 12:48:52 PM
        
        Not really what I meant. - Tom Brosz - 4/26/2005 3:10:52 PM
        
        re: And yet.... not a single one has flown - SDF - 4/26/2005 9:19:46 PM
      - Rocket staging - Gary - 4/23/2005 7:31:16 PM
  - Think Planes Instead Of Trains, Or Steam ships Versus Sailing Vessels - Mark Eby - 4/22/2005 10:13:57 PM
- Other good points - dtb - 4/22/2005 6:48:01 AM
  - I agree - Gary - 4/22/2005 7:10:31 AM
    - The 30+ years hasn't been a complete waist. - Scott Evil - 4/25/2005 9:26:45 PM
      - The past 30 years haven't been a complete torso, either (n/t) - R.L. - 4/26/2005 5:10:28 PM
    - re: I agree - dtb - 4/22/2005 3:23:44 PM
      - Once again, I must agree - Gary - 4/22/2005 3:51:29 PM
    - Could the shuttles be redesigned? - Lee - 4/22/2005 7:57:55 AM
      - We definitely need a second generation shuttle - Gary - 4/22/2005 3:42:31 PM
        
        Delicate heatshield? - Jacob Samorodin - 4/22/2005 5:22:47 PM
        
        re: Delicate heatshield? - Gary - 4/23/2005 6:28:02 AM
        
        re: Delicate heatshield? - Marcus - 4/25/2005 4:05:59 PM
        
        re: Delicate heatshield? - Gary - 4/26/2005 4:37:19 AM
        
        More about titanium - Gary - 4/23/2005 8:38:47 PM
        
        Will you quit bad mouthing bean counters. - Scott Evil - 4/25/2005 9:41:11 PM
        
        Just one observation - R.L. - 4/23/2005 11:37:37 PM
        
        SR-71 leading edge - Gary - 4/23/2005 11:55:03 PM
        
        A question... - R.L. - 4/24/2005 12:07:56 AM
        
        Mitsubishi Zero - Gary - 4/24/2005 2:56:57 AM
        
        And others - Larry J - 4/25/2005 1:45:29 AM
        
        P-38 and the Zero - Gary - 4/25/2005 6:33:29 AM
        
        There really weren't that many night fighter P-38s - Larry J - 4/25/2005 1:43:42 PM
        
        re: SR-71 doesnt face re-entry temps... - R.L. - 4/24/2005 12:02:19 AM
        
        Correct... Titanium can not be used on a reentering vehicle's leading edge - Gary - 4/24/2005 2:43:15 AM
        
        leading edge - RobVG - 4/26/2005 2:46:30 AM
        
        No it's titanium - Gary - 4/26/2005 3:51:18 AM
        
        Maybe you're right but... - RobVG - 4/26/2005 4:29:51 AM
        
        There are different flavors of SR-71 - Gary - 4/26/2005 4:48:54 AM
        
        Craziness - dtb - 4/23/2005 11:15:59 PM
        
        From a bean counters perspective, the decision was a slam dunk - Gary - 4/23/2005 11:49:57 PM
        
        Don't forget amortization of R&D costs - Larry J - 4/25/2005 1:52:06 AM
        
        That is a complicated issue - Gary - 4/25/2005 6:22:20 AM
        
        Very complicated - Larry J - 4/25/2005 8:39:16 PM
        
        I stand corrected about the flyoff - Gary - 4/26/2005 3:58:54 AM

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