+ Contact NASA
			Develop reusable re-entry and hypersonic vehicle control surface seals to prevent ingestion of hot boundary layer flow. Limit hot gas flow and heat transfer to underlying low-temperature structures Withstand temperatures of 1500-2200+ °F Remain resilient for multiple load/heating cycles Limit loads against sealing surfaces Resist scrubbing damage Current seal designs lose resiliency when compressed at high temperatures for long periods of time, potentially limiting their ability to stay in contact with sealing surfaces throughout a mission. To improve seal resiliency at high temperatures, efforts are currently underway to develop improved versions of the spring tube element that is used in many current seal designs.   Above: Cross section of typical control surface seal showing spring tube element.   Resilient Flexible Pressure-Activated Seal Bruce M. Steinetz and Patrick J. Dunlap, Jr. US Patent No. 7,497,443 Issued: March 3, 2009 High Temperature Seal for Large Structural Movements Bruce M. Steinetz and Patrick J. Dunlap, Jr. Patent No. 6,702,300 B1 Issued: March 9, 2004 Resilient Braided Rope Seal Bruce M. Steinetz and Lawrence A. Kren Patent No. 6,039,325 Issued: March 21, 2000 1996 Invention of the Year Award Winner High Temperature, Flexible Fiber-Preform Seal Bruce M. Steinetz and Paul J. Sirocky Patent No. 5,082,293 Issued: January 21, 1992 Read more about the Invention of the Year award... High Temperature, Bellows Hybrid Seal Bruce M. Steinetz and Paul J. Sirocky Patent No. 5,332,239 Issued: July 26, 1994 High Temperature, Flexible Pressure-Actuated Brush Seal Bruce M. Steinetz and Paul J. Sirocky Patent No. 5,076,590 Issued: December 31, 1991 High Temperature, Flexible Thermal Barrier Seal Paul J. Sirocky and Bruce M. Steinetz Patent No. 5,014,917 Issued: May 14, 1991 High Temperature, Flexible Seal Bruce M. Steinetz and Paul J. Sirocky Patent No. 4,917,302 Issued: April 17, 1990 + Return to the branch research page... Pat Dunlap View a list of published NASA reports + View related publications Learn more about our Aerospace Seals Facilities + View Facility Listing NOTE CHANGE: NASA Seals and Secondary Flows Symposium November 29, 2011 Open to OEM'S and vendors U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents (green card holders) only Location Ohio Aerospace Institute Directions/Maps GRC (Google Maps) Map to GRC (PDF) Local food/lodging (PDF) Download Workshop Papers
	Ciencia@NASA Earth Observatory Greatest Images of NASA Human Spaceflight Web Mars Exploration NASA Education Program NASA History NASA Image Exchange NASA Technology Planetary Photojournal Science@NASA Aeronautics Education Exploration Systems Science Missions Space Operations Headquarters Ames Research Center Dryden Flight Research Center Glenn Research Center Goddard Space Flight Center Jet Propulsion Laboratory Johnson Space Center Kennedy Space Center Langley Research Center Marshall Space Flight Center Stennis Space Center + NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices + Freedom of Information Act + The President's Management Agenda + NASA Privacy Statement, Disclaimer, and Accessibility Certification + Inspector General Hotline NASA Official: Dr. Phillip B. Abel + Web Curator + Contact NASA Last Updated: May 19, 2009