Radiation-cooled rockets are used for a range of low-thrust propulsion functions, including apogee insertion, attitude control, and repositioning of satellites, reaction control of launch vehicles, and primary propulsion for planetary space- craft. The key to high performance and long lifetimes for radiation-cooled rockets is the chamber temperature capability. The material system that is currently used for radiation-cooled rockets, a niobium alloy (C103) with a fused silica coating, has a maximum operating temperature of 1370 C. Temperature limitations of C103 rockets force the use of fuel film cooling, which degrades rocket performance and, in some cases, imposes a plume contamination issue from unburned fuel. A material system composed of a rhenium (Re) substrate and an iridium (Ir) coating has demonstrated operation at high temperatures (2200 C) and for long lifetimes (hours). The added thermal margin afforded by iridium-coated rhenium (Ir/Re) allows reduction or elimination of fuel film cooling. This, in turn, leads to higher performance and cleaner spacecraft environments. There are ongoing government- and industry-sponsored efforts to develop flight Ir/ Re engines, with the primary focus on 440-N, apogee insertion engines. Complementing these Ir/Re engine development efforts is a program to address specific concerns and fundamental characterization of the Ir/Re material system, including (1) development of Ir/Re rocket fabrication methods, (2) establishment of critical Re mechanical properly data, (3) development of reliable joining methods, and (4) characterization of Ir/Re life-limiting mechanisms.


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    Titel :

    Iridium-Coated Rhenium Radiation-Cooled Rockets


    Beteiligte:

    Kongress:

    International Symposium on Rhenium and Rhenium Alloys ; 1997 ; Orlando, FL, United States


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    1997-07-01


    Medientyp :

    Report


    Format :

    Keine Angabe


    Sprache :

    Englisch


    Schlagwörter :




    Iridium-Coated Rhenium Combustion Chamber

    Schneider, Steven J. / Tuffias, Robert H. / Rosenberg, Sanders D. | NTRS | 1994



    Iridium-coated rhenium thrusters by CVD

    Harding, J. T. / Kazaroff, J. M. / Appel, M. A. | NTRS | 1989