Presentation Transcript

1. Rocket Science Early Developments & Future Systems by Joseph A. Castellano, Ph.D. RESEED Silicon Valley
2. Outline Rocket Types The Minuteman ICBM Program Rocket Fuel Research at Thiokol Chemical Company in the 1960s Future Rocket Propulsion Systems
3. Types of Rocket Engines Liquid-Fueled Engines that use “Cryogenic” liquid oxidizers such as Liquid Oxygen (LOX). They may also use a Cryogenic fuel such as liquid hydrogen (LH2). “Reaction Motors” that use oxidizers and fuels that are liquid above 0o C. Solid-Fueled Engines that use solid oxidizers and fuels mixed together.
4. Features of Liquid-Fueled Rockets Uses liquid oxygen as the oxidizer – requires low temperature storage and extensive preparation before launch Fuel can be liquid hydrogen, which requires low temperature storage, or kerosene which does not Liquids are fed into combustion chamber and ignited with electrical spark Engine can be turned OFF by shutting down the supply of liquids
5. Liquid-Fueled Rocket Engine Fuel Throat Nozzle Oxidizer Pumps Combustion Chamber Combustion Products
6. Features of Liquid-Fueled“Reaction Motor” Type Rockets Uses liquid oxidizer that does not require low temperature storage – examples: Nitric Acid or N2O4 (nitrogen tetroxide) Fuel can be dimethyl hydrazine or aniline, which do not require low temperature storage. Liquids are fed into combustion chamber where they react instantly to produce combustion. Engine can be turned OFF by shutting down the supply of liquids Rocket can be stored indefinitely and is ready to go at a moment’s notice
7. Liquid-fueled Rockets Left: “Bullpup” engines on the assembly line at Thiokol. These engines used nitric acid for the oxidizer and aniline for the fuel. Right: Air-to-ground missiles used in the Vietnam War were powered by Bullpup engines.
8. Liquid-fueled Rocket Russian rocket on display at a parade in Moscow’s Red Square in November 1957.
9. Liquid-fueled Rockets The USA’s Saturn V rocket on display at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
10. Liquid-fueled Rocket Belt This reaction motor uses a catalyst to decompose 90% hydrogen peroxide into a hot gas mixture (O2 + H2O) at high pressure to produce the thrust.
11. Features of Solid-Fueled Rockets Fuel and oxidizer are solids mixed together with a polymer “binder,” cast into the shape of the rocket’s body and enclosed in its casing Electrically ignited near the nose of the rocket Fuel burns from top to bottom, and from the center outwards until all the fuel is consumed Once ignition begins, engine cannot be turned OFF Rocket can be stored indefinitely and is ready to go at a moment’s notice
12. Solid-Fueled Rocket Engine Igniter Flame Front Throat Nozzle Solid Fuel/Oxidizer Mixture Combustion Chamber Burned Propellant
13. Solid & Liquid Rocket Engines Combined Liquid Hydrogen Tank Solid Rocket Boosters Liquid Rocket Engine Space Shuttle Launch
14. Solid-fueled Rockets Speed: 24,000 km/hr Altitude: 1,120 km Range: 9,600 km Mass: 36,030 kg Length: 18 m Width: 1.7 m Minuteman IIIIntercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)
15. Minuteman III Construction Nose Cone Reentry Vehicle w/ Payload Guidance System Post-Boost Vehicle Engine Aerojet/Thiokol Stage 3 Engine 33,800 lbs. thrust Body Section 3 Aerojet Stage 2 Engine 60,625 lbs. thrust Body Section 2 Cable Support Thiokol Stage 1 Engine 202,600 lbs. thrust Body Section 1
16. Minuteman IIIMissile Components Stage 1 Nozzle Assembly Stage 1 Solid Propellant Core
17. Minuteman IIIStage 2 Engine
18. Minuteman III Missile inUnderground Launch Silo
19. Minuteman III MissileLaunched from Silo
20. Minuteman III Launch Path 1 - Silo launch 2 - First stage separates (60 sec.) 3 - Second stage ignites (120 sec.) 4 - Post-boost vehicle separates (180 sec.) 5 – PBV re-enters atmosphere 6 – Multiple warheads released 7 – Warheads armed 8 – Warheads strike targets
21. Rocket Fuel Research during the “Cold War” Soviet Union: Research mostly in liquid fuels and oxidizers, but secret research in solid fuels for military ICBMs. U.S.A.: Intense secret research to find better solid oxidizers and fuels for military ICBMs. Each side spied on the other to find the nature of the other’s secret research.
22. Photo of Laboratory and Manufacturing Plant in 1969
23. U.S. Secret Rocket Fuel Research at Thiokol Chemical Company in the 1960s Experimented with exotic gases such as: HNF2 Difluoramine FN=C-NF2 NF2 N2F4 Tetrafluorohydrazine Perfluoroguanidine (PFG)
24. U.S. Secret Rocket Fuel Research at Thiokol Chemical Company Chemical reactions of N2F4 with hydrocarbons: CH3-CH=CH-CH3 + N2F4 2-Butene CH3-CH-CH-CH3 NF2NF2 “Bis” DifluoraminoCompound with a Vicinal structure Tetrafluorohydrazine
25. U.S. Secret Rocket Fuel Research at Thiokol Chemical Company Chemical reactions of HNF2 with ketones: O CH3-CH2-C-CH3 + HNF2 2-Butanone NF2 CH3-CH2-C-CH3 NF2 “Bis” DifluoraminoCompound with a Geminal structure Difluoramine
26. U.S. Secret Rocket Fuel Research at Thiokol Chemical Company Chemical reactions of perfluoroguanidine with alcohols led to compounds with three NF2 groups on one carbon atom These materials were powerful oxidizers, but highly sensitive to shock and could explode easily, so it was necessary to work in a remote laboratory behind a thick plastic shield.
27. Remote Barricade LaboratoryThiokol Chemical Company - 1964
28. Remote Barricade Lab Vacuum Rack System 9. Teflon valve 10. Thick glass reactor 11. Magnetic stirrer 12. Tubes for PFG 13. To vacuum pump Insulated steel wall Blow-out roof Thermostat Electrical heaters 5. PFG cylinder 6. Storage flasks 7. Liquid N2 traps 8. Remote-control jacks
29. Formation of Powerful “Tris” Oxidizers + FN=C-NF2 NF2 CH3CH2CH2CH2OH n-Butanol Perfluoroguanidine NF2 CH3CH2CH2CH2OCNFH NF2 Intermediate Product F2 Fluorine NF2 + HF CH3CH2CH2CH2OCNF2 NF2 Hydrofluoric Acid Powerful “Tris” Oxidizer
30. U.S. Secret Rocket Fuel Research at Thiokol Chemical Company Some “Bis” compounds were made as polyurethanes to create solid oxidizer-fuel combinations. “Tris” oxidizers were mixed with various polymers to form solid propellant materials that initially showed great promise for use in rocket fuels.
31. What happened to the secret rocket fuel research programs? The research and the spying made no impact on the space program of either the U.S. or the Soviet Union. The difluoramine compounds had inadequate stability and performance to be practical as rocket propellants for weapons systems. Both sides continued to use other materials and the work was declassified a few years later.
32. Future Rocket Propulsion Systems In order to travel beyond our solar system, future rockets must be able to travel at very high speeds, ultimately at or near the speed of light. Some of the concepts being explored to achieve this goal are: Ion Engines using a gas plasma Solar-powered electric propulsion Nuclear-powered rockets Anti-matter propulsion
33. Ion Engines are Close to Reality A new type of ion engine called VASIMR® uses argon, xenon or hydrogen gas injected into a tube surrounded by a magnet. A series of radio wave devices turn the cold gas into a superheated plasma (ionized gas). The expanding magnetic field at the rocket’s nozzle converts the plasma’s thermal motion into a directed flow, thereby producing thrust. Solar or nuclear power will be used to generate the electricity needed to operate the system
34. VASIMR® Design (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket) Ion engines like these have very low thrust, but very high specific impulse, so the rocket moves faster and uses much less fuel than chemical rockets once the spacecraft is beyond earth’s gravitational field.
35. Space Travel with Ion Engines Artist’s concept of a solar-powered spacecraft built with 4 VASIMR® rocket engines headed to the moon. Travel to Mars is expected to take only 3 months compared to 9 months for conventional systems.
36. Bibliography Castellano, J.A., “Rocket Science & Russian Spies,” American Scientist, 96, 490 (2008). Kalugin, O. with Montaigne, F., “The First Directorate,” St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1994. VASIMR® is a development of the Ad Astra Rocket Company, Houston, Texas: http://adastrarocket.com