Evaluation of the Solar Thermal Propulsion Transfer Stage for Small Commercial Space Launch System Applications

McClanahan, James A.; Frye, Patrick; Borowski, Stanley K.

doi:10.2514/6.1994-3379

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…This promising feature has led the United States Air Force (USAF) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop STP for orbit transfer vehicles (OTVs), doubling the geostationary orbit (GEO) mission payload capability. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] A vital component in STP is the thruster, which is made of refractory metals such as tungsten, rhenium, tantalum, and molybdenum or advanced high-temperature ceramics because of the high propellant temperature involved -up to 3,000 K. 6,7) The USAF is developing an integrated solar upper stage (ISUS) and integrated high payoff rocket propulsion technology (IHPRPT) for a solar orbit transfer vehicle (SOTV) of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). 8,9) Tungsten, used for the thruster in conventional SOTVs concepts and experiments, however, becomes brittle due to recrystallization at high temperatures, as has also been reported for a DC arcjet nozzle of pure tungsten after operation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single-Crystal Molybdenum Solar Thermal Propulsion Thruster

Sahara¹,

Watanabe²,

Shimizu³

et al. 2003

Trans. Japan Soc. Aero. S Sci.

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We detail the design, fabrication, and experimental and calculation results for three cavity solar thermal propulsion (STP) thrusters -medium, small, and very small -made of single-crystal molybdenum (SC-Mo), developed in the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL). We obtained very high temperatures -2,300 K for the propellant gas and 2,200 K on the outer surface of the thruster -at an appropriate propellant flow with the small thruster by solar-heating with a suitable concentrator of 1.05 m in diameter, which corresponds to an 800-second-class specific impulse thruster. Temperatures obtained in experiments were much lower than expected, however. To find points for improvement and evaluate thruster performance in space, we conducted a model calculation that confirmed the thruster could achieve an 800 to 900-second-class specific impulse with a 0.1-2 N class thrust magnitude in space. STP is thus a candidate for near-future propulsion in applications such as upper stages of orbit transfer vehicles.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single-Crystal Molybdenum Solar Thermal Propulsion Thruster

Sahara¹,

Watanabe²,

Shimizu³

et al. 2003

Trans. Japan Soc. Aero. S Sci.

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Solar thermal propulsion IHPRPT Demonstration Program

Lester¹,

Wassom²,

Pearson

et al. 2000

Space 2000 Conference and Exposition

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