Reearch and Development of reentry technologies in Germany after TETRA / X-38, ESP. SHEFEX

Abstract

Still reusability is to be proposed a way to reduce cost of Space Transportation Systems. In the frame of a program for the development of reusable technologies many projects have been performed in Germany to research and develop such key technologies (EXPRESS, HERMES etc.). Hard- and software, that has been developed in TETRA (TEchnologies for future Space TRAnsportation Systems), was supposed to be validated during a reentry flight on the X-38 demonstrator. The flight was cancelled by NASA although all hardware has been delivered or integrated in a flight qualified status from European, esp. German partners. Institutes of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) found another way for the validation of aerothermodynamical effects and structural concepts with the SHEFEX (SHarp Edge Flight EXperiment) project. German Space Industry will use this opportunity for a flight as well. SHEFEX will support the effort to establish ESA´s FLPP (Future Launcher Preparatory Programme). This paper will concentrate on the technical aspects of SHEFEX.