Design of the Airlifted Nanolauncher PERSEUS
- Paper number
IAC-06-E2.1.09
- Author
Ms. Sabine Le Goasduff, Supaéro - Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace , France
- Year
2006
- Abstract
The PERSEUS launcher was developed to enter into the market of nano-satellites, which is in continuous growth nowadays. Most of these satellites are fabricated by universities which cannot afford the price of the launch as a passenger onboard the main launchers. That is why the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) desires to design a launcher which can meet the needs of customers. The CNES assigned the project to a team of ten students enrolled in a master program during six months. The members worked in different fields considering the results of the others and with the willing to obtain a performed and optimized launcher. The project includes airlifting, propulsion, staging, structure, aerodynamics, trajectory, and systems studies.
The original concept of PERSEUS is to be airlifted by an Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) and be released at the altitude of 16km and a subsonic speed of 240m/s. This procedure enables the launcher to reduce the necessary speed increment by 9.5
According to our optimization process, the most efficient number of stages turns to be two. For both stages, hybrid propulsion was selected in order to combine the benefits of solid and liquid propellants. Different studies prove that the paraffin based fuels allow great performances. By calculating the efficiency of different couples, the mix of hydrogen peroxide and paraffin is the most suitable propulsion system for the launcher. The problem of using hydrogen peroxide is its high corrosion on metals; this is why the choice of materials has to be carefully analysed.
The structure of the launcher is analysed by the maximum acceleration of PERSEUS during the launch and based on aerodynamic effects. These calculations lead to optimize the weight of the launcher which is limited by the UAV capacities. The aerodynamic impacts on the launching process are predominant to determine the external shape of the launcher, its stability and control, and its lift, drag, and moment coefficients. In addition to be crucial for the design, these parameters are used for trajectory considerations.
The trajectory is an essential phase of the project and permits to validate the performances of the launcher. Using a house trajectory code, a payload capacity of 10kg can be released by the PERSEUS launcher on a polar orbit with an altitude of 250km. Ground bases are settled for following each step of the launching sequence and a system of safety is incorporated in the launcher. To guide the launcher, thrust control is integrated and the system of fluid injections in nozzles is the most efficient one. Navigation system includes devices such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, altimeter sensors…etc. which are defined according to the needs and optimization of the weights and prices.
Finally, the launcher developed, successfully achieves all the required specifications. The launcher has a diameter of 0.8m, a length of 10.3m, and a gross weight of 4,200kg which are appropriated to the UAV possibilities. Moreover, all the choices completed in this project were done with the aim to attain a viable cost for future clients. It is important to recall that the project is still in development by the CNES which continues with the research and results of the six months teamwork. Furthermore, the CNES wants students to be involved in this project until the fabrication of PERSEUS is achieved.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-E2.1.09.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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