Future Opportunities and Critical Needs for Advanced Ceramics and Ceramic Matrix Composites in Aerospace Applications

The future opportunities for the use of advanced ceramics and various types of ceramic matrix composites in aerospace applications will be discussed. The areas covered will include DoD applications in aircraft, missiles and spacecraft, and civilian applications in aircraft and space vehicles. The potential for various classes of materials will be discussed relative to their performance and cost and the requirements and cost-tolerance of specific applications. In addition this discussion of opportunities for use of ceramics in aerospace applications, the critical needs for the manufacturing and engineering design technology data base will be detailed. This will include discussion of design methodologies and philosophies, material databases, and manufacturing processes and process control. Possible strategies to enhance the future insertion and use of advanced ceramics into aerospace systems will be described.