Technologies for Low Cost Reusable Launch Vehicles Eric Besnard, Professor California State University, Long Beach (562)

Technologies for Low Cost RLVs CSU, Long Beach Background California Launch Vehicle Education Initiative – CALVEIN – Partnership between California State University, Long Beach and Garvey Spacecraft Corporation started in 2001 – Participants include educational institutions & industry Objectives – Education: Provide CSULB undergraduate students with hands-on system development experience: from requirements definition to hardware dev. and flight testing Provide CSULB graduate students with opportunities for applied R&D – Technology development: Primarily small launch vehicle/booster related Small scale makes technology compatible with small spacecraft buses: propulsion, TT&C, GN&C, etc. – Launch Provide students from other institutions (USC, Montana State, Stanford, Cal Poly SLO, etc.) with payload integration and flight experience Working toward capability for cost-effective delivery of small spacecraft to Low Earth Orbit: NLV (Nanosat Launch Vehicle), 10 kg to LEO

Technologies for Low Cost RLVs CSU, Long Beach Accomplishments 13 liquid-propelled LOX/hydrocarbon (ethanol, methane & propylene) prototype launch vehicles; Many rocket engines: 130 to 4,500 lbf thrust Aerospike engines – First ever flight test of liquid-propellant aerospike rocket engine in 2003 (AvWeek, Sept. 2003) – Currently developing advanced multi-chamber aerospike engine (MDA) Alternative hydrocarbon fuels – 500 lbf thrust LOX/propylene – First ever flight test of LOX/methane rocket engine (AvWeek, May 5, 2008) Composite tanks: use of linerless composite tanks for both propellants, including cryogenic conditions (Prospector-9)  Experience in developing end-to-end liquid propulsion systems, including cryo-cryo (LOX/methane) First ever LOX/methane flight test with 1,000 lbf thrust engine, 2008 Aerospike engine which led to first ever flight test, 2003

Low cost, reliable, non-toxic RCS CSU, Long Beach Motivation Tomorrow’s RLVs, particularly human-rated, require reliable, low cost RCS Objective of Research Develop low cost Reaction Control Systems (RCS): – improved performance when compared with cold gas systems – no operational constraints like that associated with hydrazine thrusters – Examples include use of nitrous oxide as monopropellant Technical Approach & Results Review options available and conduct trade studies Perform preliminary design of selected system Define development and qualification plan

Health management of composite propellant tanks for cryogenic propellants CSU, Long Beach Motivation Composite materials offer the promise of reduced mass for propellant tanks Little operational experience exists beyond DC-XA Recent developments: linerless tanks Need for monitoring tanks during life cycle Objectives of Research Define qualification criteria (proofing, cycles, etc.) Define health monitoring approaches during ops. Technical Approach & Results Define qualification and operational requirements (burst pressures, defect sizes, location, cycles, porosity, etc.) Assess monitoring options available Develop preliminary qualification plan & monitoring approaches

Aerospike engine performance analysis CSU, Long Beach Motivation Aerospike engines offer the promise of altitude compensation capability No flight data exists for transonic, over- expanded conditions Ready to flight-test CSULB-developed 1,300 lbf engine Objectives of Research Establish correlation between CFD & flight data Validate aerospike engine concept Technical Approach & Results Perform CFD analyses of vehicle/engine interactions Compare CFD models with flight data Advanced 10-C/SiC thruster 1,300 lbf aerospike engine, 2008