PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE RAM ROCKET AS A POWER PLANT FOR A LONG- RANGE GUIDED MISSILE
Abstract
Range calculations were made for a long-range missile employing a ram rocket as the power plant. In this application the ram rocket could supply the thrust required to accelerate a missile to design conditions while consuming only a part of the propellant weight required by a comparable booster. The rocket would also supply power during the subsequent midcourse or Brequet trajectory. The ram rocket power plant was adapted to the structure of the Triton missile, a 2000-mi.-range ramjet using JP-1 as a fuel. This adaptation procedure allowed a direct comparison between the ramjet and ram rocket power plants and their effect on such variables as range, gross take-off weight, and booster size. The assumptions employed in adapting the ram rocket to the Triton configuration are described in detail. Methylacetylene was used to illustrate the type of fuel that is available and theoretically desirable. The results of the investigation indicate that the ram rocket can obtain the same range as the rocket-boosted ramjet with a lower total take-off weight as well as a reduction in the required booster size of the order of 80%. These savings may be directly attributed to the lower specific fuel consumption of the ram rocket during the acceleration phase as compared to the specific fuel consumption of the booster rocket of the ramjet missile.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1952
- Accession Number
- AD0001248
Entities
People
- George S. Sutherland
Organizations
- Princeton University