A Cryogenic Propellant Depot (CPD) operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) could provide many near term benefits to NASA space exploration efforts. These benefits include elongation/extension of spacecraft missions and reduction of launch vehicle up-mass requirements. Some of the challenges include controlling cryogenic propellant evaporation and managing the high costs and long schedules associated with new spacecraft hardware development. This paper describes a conceptual CPD design that is thermally optimized to achieve extremely low propellant boil-off rates. The CPD design is based on existing launch vehicle architecture, and its thermal optimization is achieved using current passive thermal control technology. Results from an integrated thermal model are presented showing that this conceptual CPD design can achieve propellant boil-off rates well under 0.05% per day, even when subjected to the LEO thermal environment.
Thermal Optimization and Assessment of a Long Duration Cryogenic Propellant Depot
2012
10 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Space Technology , Propellant evaporation , Optimization , Propellant tanks , Thermodynamic properties , Propulsion system configurations , Cryogenic rocket propellants , Liquid hydrogen , Low earth orbits , Liquid oxygen , Saturation , Leakage , Multilayer insulation , Heat of vaporization , Centaur launch vehicle
Thermal Optimization and Assessment of a Long Duration Cryogenic Propellant Depot
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2012
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