Thermite-for-Demise Concept: from Material Selection to Test Campaign

Abstract

In the frame of the ESA-TRP SPADEXO project, the use of thermites to aid spacecraft demise during re-entry is under investigation. The charges are expected to ignite spontaneously during the reentry phase, supplying additional heat to components critical for the on-ground casualty risk. This concept was explored experimentally in DLR-Cologne’s L2K facility, where steel mock-ups filled with the energetic material were exposed to relevant conditions for the final application. In this paper, the selection of the pyrotechnic material will be discussed, as well as the macroscopic results obtained during the experimental campaign for one out of the three geometries explored during the project. XRD and tomography were then used to characterize the slag produced during the tests, and to explain the reasons of the unexpected pressure build-up observed during the tests involving a fraction of activated thermite.