136472 makemake
New Member
Hey everyone! First poster here. I'm an absolute newbie to this subject who just learned about it a few days ago, so have mercy on me if I'm wildly off the mark here with my question:
In the search for a lighter rocket, has anyone built a supersonic rocket which has a carbon fiber skeletal airframe for the main body, wrapped in a very thin non-structural layer of aluminum (or something else) for the "skin" to preserve aerodynamic qualities?
I envision the airframe as rings spaced out every so often, connected with 3-4 "columns" to join them all, as opposed to a full CF tube, most likely capped with a conventional CF nosecone and fin can.
I read that on the SR-71 flying at Mach 3+, temperatures could get up to 315 C / 600 F, and the melting point for these materials is much higher, so I'm assuming nothing would melt or deform significantly?
Thanks to all who reply.
In the search for a lighter rocket, has anyone built a supersonic rocket which has a carbon fiber skeletal airframe for the main body, wrapped in a very thin non-structural layer of aluminum (or something else) for the "skin" to preserve aerodynamic qualities?
I envision the airframe as rings spaced out every so often, connected with 3-4 "columns" to join them all, as opposed to a full CF tube, most likely capped with a conventional CF nosecone and fin can.
I read that on the SR-71 flying at Mach 3+, temperatures could get up to 315 C / 600 F, and the melting point for these materials is much higher, so I'm assuming nothing would melt or deform significantly?
Thanks to all who reply.