Of the advanced composite materials for aerospace structures such as aircrafts and space devices, the carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is applied to many sectors that require lightweight materials for its high strength and stiffness. One of the disadvantages of the CFRP, however, is that it is weak against impact. In this study, impact test specimens were manufactured with five fiber stacking angles (0°/0°, 0°/15°, 0°/30°, 0°/45°, 0°/90°) according to ASTM D7136[15], and a falling weight test was performed to analyze the correlation between their mechanical and thermal characteristics. As a result, the impact energy applied to the five test specimens with different fiber stacking angles was almost constant at 30.63 J - 30.78 J. The absorbed energy increased with the increase in the fiber stacking angle, and decreased after 0°/45°. The average temperature on the fractured surface increased with the increase in the fiber stacking angle in all specimens other than the 0°/0° specimen.
