XPost: sci.space.policy   
   From: fjmccall@gmail.com   
      
   JF Mezei  wrote on Mon, 24 Dec 2018   
   12:38:00 -0500:   
      
   >Saw a youtube opinion that using stainless steel might be a weight   
   >saving overall because it can act as a heat sink for the heat shield   
   >during re-entry and this could save on heat shield weight.   
   >   
   >I have no idea if this is plausible.   
   >   
      
   Using the whole outer body as a heat sink might let you use more   
   refractory TPS and less ablative, which wouldn't decrease weight but   
   would lower costs to refly.   
      
   >   
   >The other argument made was that a shiny reflective surface might   
   >reflect much of the heat generated by the plasma around the skin instead   
   >of absorbing it. (but this would assume the ship's exterior is stainless   
   >steel and I doubt stainless steel has a high enough melting point, or   
   >does it?)   
   >   
      
   Depends on which stainless alloy you're talking about and how high a   
   melting point is 'high enough'.  There are stainless steels that are   
   good to temperatures of 1400 C (AISI 330).   
      
      
   --   
   "Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to   
       live in the real world."   
                         -- Mary Shafer, NASA Dryden   
      
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