METHOD OF HEAT PROTECTION AND MODULATION OF AERODYNAMIC DRAG OF OBJECT DESCENDED FROM SPACECRAFT Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: heat-power engineering; protection of spacecraft and descent vehicles against mechanical damage and overheating in space and atmosphere re-entry. SUBSTANCE: proposed method includes forming of evaporable protective layer on surface of object before atmosphere re-entry, in space, after cooling of its surface by orientation of object to shaded side of spacecraft and spraying gas-and-drop mixture of liquid heat-transfer agent on cooled surface of object till ice envelope having aerodynamic shape is formed. In the course of applying liquid heat-transfer agent, this agent and cooled surface of object are charged with electric charges of different polarity. Used as liquid heat-transfer agent is water produced by oxygen-hydrogen electrical chemical generator carried on board of spacecraft; electricity generated at this is used for charging liquid heat-transfer agent and surface of descent vehicle. Used as gas in gas-and-drop mixture is one gas component of waste electric chemical generators. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency of heat protection. 2 cl