High temperature optical fiber sensor for atmospheric reentry

Atmospheric reentry transition is produced at hypersonic velocity and is accompanied by a sharp excessive heat load for a few minutes, on the exposed materials, leading to a temperature increase of more than 1000°C. MPBC developed optical fiber sensors for such temperatures with special packaging optimizing between protective capability and fast thermal conductivity. The fiber sensors were calibrated with thermocouples first using standard oven, then with stationary plasma at Von Karman Institute (Belgium) followed by a test within a wind tunnel (1000°C, 8 Mach number) at DLR-Cologne.