Thermite-for-Demise: Preliminary on-Ground Heat Transfer Experimental Testing

The use of thermite to assist satellite demise is a novel methodology under exploration in the frame of the CleanSpace Initiative of the European Space Agency. The idea consists in inducing an additional heat source during the reentry of a spacecraft, supporting the destruction of those massive components which may not demise completely. Embedding thermites into some components is under investigation within SPADEXO, an ESA-TRP project. One of the key aspects of the energetic component design is the understanding of the best heat transfer mechanism. This paper presents a preliminary on-ground experimental campaign aiming at the quantification of the heat exchanged between a thermite charge and a surrounding metallic structure. This activity aims at demonstrating the capability of spontaneously igniting a thermite charge embedded in a metal vessel subject to external convective flow as well as evaluating the efficiency of the heat transfer process.