As part of the Space Technology Game Changing Development Program (GCDP) Composite Cryotank Technology Development (CCTD) contract and based on numerous lessons learned during the fabrication of the 2.4 m precursor cryotank, The Boeing Company fabricated a 5.5 m diameter test article. The primary focus of the CCTD contract was to demonstrate the potential to reduce overall cost and weight of liquid hydrogen cryotanks while maintaining the reliability of existing metallic designs. The two subscale tanks were sized to carry line loads as predicted for an extended mission full-scale tank and incorporated design features and new manufacturing processes applicable for an 8.4 m upper stage tank. Similar to the precursor, the 5.5 m tank encompassed several challenging details: (1) one-piece co-cured/co-bonded spherical geometry with integral skirts, (2) out-of-autoclave (OoA) curing carbon/epoxy material, (3) permeation resistant thin ply hybrid laminate skins, and (4) off-axis slit tape (tow) construction. In addition, the article contained structurally efficient fluted core skirts. This paper provides an overview of the CCTD program with emphasis on design features, tooling approaches and processing methods chosen to advance manufacturing and technology readiness levels.
Overview of the NASA 5.5 m composite cryotank technology development program
2014
13 Seiten, 7 Quellen
(nicht paginiert)
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Datenträger
Englisch
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