Navy missiles are becoming faster and are also able to intercept incom
ing targets at greater ranges. Unfortunately, increased missile speed
means increased material temperatures, and some missile components are
exposed to temperatures exceeding 5000-degrees-F. In the past thirty
years, the Applied Physics Laboratory has participated in the developm
ent of new high-temperature materials for use in Navy missiles. This a
rticle gives a brief history of our test and analysis of various candi
date materials. Free jet tests indicate that carbon/carbon infiltrated
with hafnium carbide can survive surface temperatures of 4800-degrees
-F for more than ten minutes.