Are there studies about using expansive foam such as polyurethane, so that it provides high volume & high cross section heatshielding, instead of inflatable ones, or in combination with inflatable ones.-basically expanded foam inflated heatshields, where large ablation can occur- once the outer skin is ablated away, theres still the whole low density foam to ablate?
By this I mean, inflation / expansion of foam is made in orbit, and is not lauched from earth already expanded.
Edit
Thanks to GremlinWranger comment, are there planned missions using such a concept for probes involving aerobraking or aerocapture or entry to some solar system body having an atmosphere ?