NIAR Secures $10 Million in NASA Funding for High-Temperature Advanced Materials Research

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) will receive more than $10 million from NASA for research related to the development and implementation of advanced materials for hypersonic applications.

The funding will enable continued research aimed at developing and maturing high temperature advanced materials for use in hot structures and thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles.

Development of advanced materials and structures that meet these requirements is a key driver in advancing the hypersonic systems industry. There are currently several technological gaps for novel high-speed materials and structures, including the selection of materials that are capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and extended flight times, as well as the development of reliable design databases.

The ability to generate high fidelity data for these materials is a crucial step in the process of successfully inserting emerging materials into critical space applications. These materials must be proven to perform in extremely challenging environments, while demonstrating manufacturability, consistent production, and long-term sustainment.

This highly specialized research program will require procurement of equipment focused on automated fabrication, processing and densification, characterization, design and analysis, and testing refractory materials and structures. It will complement existing resources available through Wichita’s National Defense Prototype Center (NDPC), a collaboration between NIAR and Spirit AeroSystems.

The NDPC provides a secure space for high-temperature materials testing, development, prototyping and industrialization.

Source: Wichita