Investigation of Cryogenic Solid Propulsion Application for Large Solid Rocket Boosters
- Paper number
IAC-05-D2.5.04
- Author
Mr. Norbert Pilz, AI: Aerospace Institute, Germany
- Coauthor
Mr. Harry Adirim, AI: Aerospace Institute, Germany
- Year
2005
- Abstract
Cryogenic Solid Propulsion (CSP) uses chemical rocket propellant combinations in solid rocket motors with at least one frozen component that is liquid or gaseous at ambient temperatures so that it has to be cooled down below its melting point. Therefore, CSP combines the advantages of solid rocket motors (e.g. high thrust levels, simple, robust and cost-efficient design) and liquid propulsion (e.g. high specific impulse). Thus, high performance, low cost and low pollution CSP technology may have the potential for significant performance improvements for heavy launch vehicles and could bring about a near term revolution for chemical Earth-to-orbit high thrust propulsion.
In the framework of research and development under German (DLR) and European (ESA) sponsorship the experimental and theoretical feasibility of CSP according to Technology Readiness Level 4 could be successfully demonstrated. An experimental combustion chamber for 1 kg of CSP propellants was built at AI: Aerospace Institute and successfully hot fired at Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology in 2004. It could be shown that selected CSP propellants in specific configurations show good burning behaviour with a regression rate that lies in the range of conventional solid rocket propellants.
Therefore, the application of cryogenic solid propulsion for large solid rocket boosters was investigated, in order to analyse the performance improvement potential for typical commercial launch vehicles using solid rocket propulsion, e.g. Ariane-5. Based on preparatory work the investigation was performed for a 3-stage configuration with CSP first stage and an Ariane-5 type launch vehicle with CSP boosters. Two representative CSP propellant combinations based on solid hydrogen peroxide (SH 2O 2) and solid oxygen (SOX) along with polyethylene were selected as reference. CSP stage mass and performance modelling was performed by means of CAD/CAE based methods.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-D2.5.04.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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