How can a magnet keep astronauts cool?
Re-entry is a critical phase of space missions, during which spacecraft slam into the atmosphere at high speeds. This creates a shroud of superheated ionised gas which envelops the spacecraft, blocking communications and threatening to burn up the vehicle. The EU-funded MEESST project offers an alternative to traditional ablative heat shields that uses an electromagnetic field to push away this hot plasma. The project has now been featured in the CORDIS series of explanatory videos titled ‘Make the connection with EU science’. MEESST offers several advantages over traditional heat shields. It is lighter, saving weight during launch and manoeuvring. And by deflecting the plasma shroud, communications signals can be maintained during these crucial moments. “Our solution is a game changer due to its reduced mass, volume, electrical power and cryogenic cooling requirements,” says Andrea Lani, MEESST project coordinator. “It is also reusable, avoiding more space debris.” ‘Make the connection with EU science’ is a series of explanatory videos focusing on the scientific content and exploitation aspects of EU research projects.
Keywords
MEESST, Mars, Earth, Moon, atmosphere, heat shield, magnetic, plasma, space, re-entry, spacecraft, low earth orbit