Abstract: Ablation thermal protection materials are used for the most of space probes due to high reliability and wide suitability. Ablation thermal protection materials have various kinds for defferent space exploration goals, entry/reentry trajactory of probe, probe configuration and limit of thermal protection strcture. Light and efficient are the important development characteristic of the ablation thermal protection materials. Furthermore, the reliability is vital important. Different thermal protection materials have different behaviors and characteristics in the different heat environment. Ablation thermal protection materials have critical role for the success of space exploration. The kinds and applications of ablation thermal protection materials for space exploration have been reviewed, including high density glass fiber reinforced phenolic plastics, honeycomb reinforced thermal protection material, resin infiltrated materials, carbon phenolic of US, and nylon phenolic, honeycomb reinforced thermal protection materials and NF materials of China. The applied space exploration probe, aerodynamic heating environment, the material properties and manufacture technology of the thermal protection structure are introduced. The anomaly ablation cases of the materials and the selected materials change of US space exploration are summarized. It is thus clear that the coupling relationship between thermal protection material and heat environment is complex. The research of thermal protection material on resisting anomaly damage in US and our country are introduced. It is showed that the honeycomb reinforced ablation thermal protection materials has advantages for the existing experiment results. The application and development of the thermal protection materials for space exploration are prospected at the end.
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