Multiwall thermal protection system

A thermal protection sandwich panel adapted to serve as an exterior heat shield insulating tile in the thermal protection system of a hypervelocity vehicle or other enclosure comprising:

• an outer skin for the sandwich panel,
• an inner skin for the sandwich panel spaced from said outer skin,
• side skins sealingly attached to said inner and outer skins to form a unitary panel structure,
• at least one intermediate thermal protective layer of material confined within the space bounded by said outer skin, said inner skin and said side skins,
• said at least one intermediate thermal protective layer of material being attached to at least one of said inner and outer skin,
• means secured to said inner skin for mechanically attaching the unitary panel structure to a hypervelocity vehicle or other enclosure
• said means secured to said inner skin for mechanically attaching the unitary panel structure to a hypervelocity vehicle including a pair of tab extensions extending one each from adjacent corners of said panel and a pair of open panel clips disposed one each on the corners of said panel opposite to said tabs, and
• connecting clips provided on the vehicle surface and equal in number to and adapted to receive said tab extensions, said tab extensions, said tab extensions being of adequate length to extend through said connecting clips and also be received by the said panel clips of an adjacent panel.