Liquid Solid Propulsion Overview Dr Richard Cohn

Liquid & Solid Propulsion Overview Dr. Richard Cohn Chief, Liquid Engines Branch Propulsion Directorate Air Force Research Laboratory Richard. Cohn@edwards. af. mil 661 -275 -5198 Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number

Space and Missile R&D Building Block Process 6. 1 6. 2 6. 3 Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 2

Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology (IHPRPT) Joint government and industry effort focused on developing affordable technologies for revolutionary, reusable and/or rapid response military global reach capability, sustainable strategic missiles, long life or increased maneuverability spacecraft capability and high performance tactical missile capability ELVs SMV/SOV High Energy Upper Stages Air-to-Air Missiles ICBMs Micro-Satellites SLBMs Satellites Ground/Surface Launched Missiles Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 3

IHPRPT Goals Boost and Orbit Transfer Propulsion • • Improve ISP (sec) Improve Thrust to Weight (Liquids) Improve Mass Fraction (Solids) Mean Time Between Removal (Missions) Reduce Stage Failure Rate Reduce Hardware Costs Reduce Support Costs Near Mid Far 14 30% 15% 20 25% 15% 21 60% 25% 40 50% 25% 26 100% 35% 100 75% 35% Spacecraft Propulsion • • Improve Itot/Mass (wet) (Electrostatic/Electromagnetic) Improve Isp (Bipropellant/Solar Thermal) Improve Density-Isp (Monopropellant) Improve Mass Fraction (Solar Thermal) 20%/200% 35%/500% 75%/1250% 5%/10% 10%/15% 20%/20% 30% 50% 70% 15% 25% 35% Tactical Propulsion • Improve Delivered Energy 3% 7% • Improve Mass Fraction (Without TVC/Throttling) 2% 5% • Improve Mass Fraction (With TVC/Throttling) unlimited distribution. Release Number 20% 10% Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, 15% 10% 30% 4

Solid Motor Technology development for the warfighter • Increase performance at reduced cost • Improve tools to reduce life cycle cost and enable increased capability • Aging and Surveillance • Sustain industry technology development Technology development is critical to sustaining strategic system capability and affordability Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 5

Solid Performance Technology • Inert Components • High strength composite case • Low erosion / non-eroding nozzle • Low erosion insulation • Energetic components • Increased energy/low sensitivity ingredients • High performance 1. 3 HC propellant • Technology demonstration • Delivered performance of integrated components • Demonstration of IHPRPT goal compliance Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 6

M&S Technology • Performance • Multi-phase computational fluid dynamics • Combustion of metallized propellants • Ignition transient including erosive burning • Thermostructual • Multi-phase heat transfer • Material ablation, erosion, and burnback geometry • Fluid Thermal Structural Interaction • Coupled solutions • Model verification and validation Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 7

Aging and Surveillance Technology • Service life prediction technology • Assessment of critical defects • Propellant damage model development • Environmental effects on material life • Integrated motor life management • Integrated sensor/data/analysis system • Smart sensor technology • Long term data warehousing • Automated non-destructive evaluation Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 8

AFRL Edwards Rocket Site: Liquid Rocket Technology Development On-Demand Launch (RBS) RS 68 - A/B ARES Military Space Plane & SOV Air Force Programs Air Force Proposed Other Programs DC-X Space Vector 1 Centaur Upper Stage J 2 X X-33 Concept Engine AFRL HC Boost Space Shuttle AFRL IPD AFRL Thrust Cell Program AFRL Aerospike Tech X-15 XRS-2200 SSME AFRL XLR-129 CL-400 Suntan RL-10 AFRL XLR-99 Four Decades of Leadership in Rocket Engine Technology Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 9

Responsive Space Access Time Phased Plans Increasing Reusability üRapid turn 48 hrs üRapid turn 24 hrs ü Rapid turn 4 hrs ü 3 X lower ops cost ü 100 X lower ops cost üVehicle reliability üAll Wx availability • High Sortie Airframe • 2 X Sortie Airframe • High Sortie Propulsion & Systems • 2. 5 X Sortie Propulsion & Systems • 4 X Sortie Airframe • 5 X Sortie Propulsion & Systems BASELINE EELV, Shuttle, Aircraft Ops Near Term ü All Wx availability Mid Term Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number Far Term

Liquid Rocket • • Drive towards Modeling and Simulation Rocket Engine Development Programs – – IPD (LOx/LH 2 Booster) USET (LOx/LH 2 Upper Stage) Hydrocarbon Boost (LOx/RP-2 Booster) 3 GRB (LOx/LCH 4 Booster) Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 11

Drive Towards Model Driven Development • There is a need to improve 30 -40 year old modeling, simulation, & analysis (MS&A) tools – Existing tools old and empirically based and require hundreds of tests – Industry losing grey beards and thus design and analysis capability – Could not handle new technologies like hydrostatic bearings – Current and future computational capabilities allow use of physics-based tools to supplement testing – Testing drives the cost of rocket programs • Necessary • Need to be smart Test Driven Development (TDD) Model Driven Development (MDD) Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 12

Integrated Powerhead Demo (IPD) • • • Joint program between AF, NASA, and Industry Supports sortie-like launch for Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Payoffs: – – • 200 Mission Life (20 X improvement) 100 MTBR First known full scale demonstration of Full Flow Staged Combustion Cycle in the World! IPD Ground Engine: E 1 Test Stand NASA SSC, Test 013 TA: Standard Start to 80%PL, 87%PL w/ Short Hold; Test Profile RA, November 10 th, 2005 IPD Ground Demonstrator Engine installed in E 1 Complex Cell 1 IPD Ground Engine: E 1 Test Stand NASA SSC, Test 014 TA: Standard Start to 85%PL, (Actual 89%PL) w/ Steady State; Test Profile SA, December 15 th, 2005 Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 13

USET Objective • Objective: Develop and demonstrate the next generation Model Driven • Approach: Design (MDD) tools on an upper stage engine component – Selected Turbopump – Link commercial design tools with rocket specific empirical data, rocket specific material & propellant libraries, and user defined functions – Replace targeted legacy design tools with physics based tools • Enable Multi-Disciplinary Models, Time Accurate Solutions & Interconnected Models – – • Reduced design time, more design iterations Higher fidelity analysis earlier in process Multi-disciplinary optimization Use Tools to design validation turbopump assembly Validation: provide sealed envelope predictions to compare with test data Models & design tools applicable to other Liquid Boost & OTV Applications - Range of Thrust - Range of Propellants - Range of Engine Cycles Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 14

Hydrocarbon Boost Developing LOx/RP staged combustion Technology Subscale / Rig Testing TRL 4 Component Testing TRL 5 Vision Engine TRL 3 Component TRL – Red System TRL - Purple Mondalloy – High Strength Ox-Compatible Material TRL 5 Integrated Demo Testing Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 15

3 GRB • Advancement of the state of the art – Innovative cycles/ component technologies • Pursue IHPRPT Hydrocarbon Boost Phase III and Operability Goals • Fuel Choice – – Rocket Grade Methane MIL-PRF-32207 is the baseline fuel – Database and experience on pump fed methane engines is lacking in US Methane has high potential as fuel for booster stage rocket engines • • AFRL to leverage existing pressure fed activities (NASA) Develop rocket engine components – Component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory environment – No integrated demonstartion Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 16

Conclusions • AFRL/RZS is developing new technology in liquid and solid propulsion • Mix of Tech Push and Mission Pull – • Focused efforts examining Cryo-Boost, HC Boost, and Upper Stage Rocket Propulsion – – • Aggressive goals lead to unique vision engines Tool development is crucial Developing the critical demonstration programs as well as the key underlying technologies – • Primary customer is SMC Mondalloy Other parts of AFRL working air-breathing concepts Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 17

Comments on Roadmap • Reads like a technology review of propulsion concepts – • All work seems to be nearly in parallel Many technologies have been worked in the past – Fundamental changes that make them more effective? • Combination of new technology and “engineering” development • Some are being worked • For more details on current activities, recommend a non-public release environment Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 18

PWR Vision Engine • Expander-Heat Exchanger Cycle (Ex-Hex) • HEX reduces system pressures –Enables higher Pressure Ratio turbine –Reduces heat required to run cycle –Significantly reduces Turbopump power • Ex-Hex Eliminates Preburner –No moisture / contaminates –Eliminates drying / flushing –Significantly reduces Ground-Ops • Low CH 4 Hot Gas Temp –Reduced hot gas system complexity –Benign fluid environment –Improved turbine drive system life • Lower Engine pressures –Existing test facility infrastructure Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 19

WASK Vision Engine • Staged Combustion Cycle – • Low Preburner Gas Temperature Assures Long Life Modular engine design – – • Small TCAs Lower Development and Test Costs Altitude compensating nozzle Innovative TPA – – Eliminated boost pumps Single shaft Not STINFO Approved. Distribution A – Public release, unlimited distribution. Release Number 20