The Applications Study was conducted as a part of the Advanced Development Program for a High Performance Staged Combustion Oxygen/Hydrogen Rocket Engine. The overall objective of the Applications Study was to investigate the application of this engine in six representative advanced rocket stages and to determine the resulting performance. A stage figure of merit (referred to as the Performance Index, W sub x was specified and used for performance evaluation. Performance Index included considerations of engine specific impulse, weight, size, and installation features as these parameters affect vehicle performance. Engine associated weight includes items such as thrust structure, feed lines, thrust vector control, failure detection equipment, and propellant tank pressurization. The analysis was conducted at 250K and 350K vacuum thrust levels in each of six vehicle applications. Based upon the results of the applications study, the lightweight two-position bell nozzle was selected as the basic engine nozzle configuration. Engine nozzle expansion ratio varied considerably in each of the six vehicle cases. Lower stages tended to optimize with lower expansion ratio nozzles and upper stages with higher expansion ratios. A common engine module size for both the 250K and 350K thrust levels was determined by collectively considering the requirements for all six vehicles. Final Performance Index values were determined using this common engine module and exhaust nozzles individually selected (expansion ratio, contour, fixed or or two-position) to provide best vehicle performance.
Applications Study for a High Performance Cryogenic Staged Combustion Rocket Engine
1967
308 pages
Report
No indication
English
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