February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 1 Thermal Engines for Launch Vehicle Configurations

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 2 Agenda What is propulsion Thermal engine basics LOX Augmented Thermal Engines Launch Vehicle Dynamics SSTO/MSTO

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 3 Propulsion Propulsion is energy Energy and momentum are related more energy = more propulsion

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 4 Energy Sources

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 5 Thermal Engines Produce heat to expand a propellant Requires core materials to withstand high melting points (~ K) such as Tungsten and Carbon Propellant must have a high C p and low atomic weight. Liquid Hydrogen is a primary candidate

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 6 Specific Impulse

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 7 Thrust

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 8 Nuclear Thermal Rocketry (NTR) -Heavily tested -Must use a combination of W, LiH, Be -Radiation and spallation -Limited by material melting point

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 9 Positron Thermal Rocket (PTR) Identical to NTR Uses positrons as a heat source Concentric cylinder configuration Requires only Tungsten, allowing higher core temp. and I sp

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 10 LOX Augmentation Increases thrust Decreases I sp

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 11 LOX Augmentation T (K) T/W O/F Based on NTR NERVA configuration -Assumes that PTR is scaled to NTR NERVA specs. - More advanced PBR could increase T/W by X7

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 12 LOX Augmentation

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 13 LOX Augmentation

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 14 LOX Augmentation

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 15 LOX Augmentation T (K)T/W O/F

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 16 Launch Vehicle

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 17 Launch Vehicle Requirements

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 18 Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) Simple Quick turnaround time Short loiter time in orbit Small payloads delivered

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 19 SSTO

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 20 SSTO

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 21 Multistage Rocketry (MSTO) Assume all 1 st stage engines are Saturn F-1’s Isp: 330 seconds T/W: 96 Upper-stage chemical engines are SSME’s Isp; 450 seconds T/W: 73

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 22 MSTO Assumptions 123 Drag (kN) alpha (degrees)510 gamma (degrees)603010

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 23 MSTO

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 24 MSTO

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 25 MSTO

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 26 MSTO

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 27 MSTO

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 28 Future Work Validate Altitude equation Consider using a PBR analysis Use Mars transfer analysis for baseline PTR configuration Use more precise computer model to demonstrate changes in D, alpha, gamma, etc… Determine launch cost to include H2, O2, etc…

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 29 References 1.Blevins, J., Patton, B., Ryhs, N., Schmidt, G., Limitations of Nuclear Propulsion for Earth to Orbit, AIAA Paper Smith, D., Wulff, J., Pearce, C., Bingaman, J., Webb, J., Thermal Radiation Studies for an Electron Positron Annihilation Propulsion System, AIAA Paper Humble, R., Henry, G., Wiley, J., Space Propulsion Analysis and Design, McGraw Hills Co. Inc Smith, G., Kramer, K., Meyer, K., Thode, T., High Density Storage of Antimatter for Space Propulsion Application, AIAA Paper Borowski, S., Dudzinski, L., 2001 A Space Odyssey Revisited – The Feasibility of 24 Hour Commuter Flights to the Moon Using NTR Propulsion with LUNOX Afterburners, published with permission from NASA, AIAA Paper Bulman, M., Messit, D., Niel, T., Borowski, S., High Area Ratio LOX-Augmented Nuclear Thermal Rocket (LANTR) Testing, AIAA Paper

February 18, 2006HYPERION ERAU 30 Questions/Comments ?????