Re:Military Aircraft Hit Mach 20 Before Ocean Crash, DARPA Says
by iandh on Thursday March 28, 2013 @10:30AM
(#5454934)
The "gradual wearing of the vehicle's skin" is called is called ablation.
Its a standard way both hyper sonic and reentry vehicles manage heat. Basically the skin boils off creating a pressure wave that the vehicle flights behind.
Its a standard way both hyper sonic and reentry vehicles manage heat. Basically the skin boils off creating a pressure wave that the vehicle flights behind.
Wikipedia has a good description of it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_reentry#Ablative