Space Station Auxiliary Thrust Chamber Technology

Abstract

The objective of this program was to establish a technical data base to support future development of GO2/GH2 flight thrusters for a Space Station Auxiliary Propulsion System. Specific issues of concern were thruster performance and cycle life. To address these issues, NASA funded Aerojet to design, fabricate and altitude test two 25-lbf GO2.GH2 thrusters. The first thruster was designed to operate at a nominal mixture ratio (O/F) of 4.0 and expansion area ratio of 100:1. It was tested over a range of O/F from 2.0 to 8. 0, achieving a range of specific impulse (Isp) from 440 to 310 lbf-sec/lbm. The second thruster was optimized for a nominal O/F of 8.0 at a lower nozzle expansion area ratio of 30:1. This second thruster was tested over an O/F range of 3.0 to 9.5, achieving an Isp range of 416 to 3323 lbf-sec/lbm, respectively. At O/F = 8.0, the Isp was 360 lbf-sec/lbm, as predicted.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA236556

Entities

People

  • Philip J. Robinson

Organizations

  • Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Altitude Chambers
  • Boundary Layer
  • Combustion
  • Creep
  • Fabrication
  • Heat Transfer
  • Heat Transfer Coefficients
  • Ignition
  • Ignition Systems
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Propulsion Systems
  • Spark Plugs
  • Test Facilities
  • Two Dimensional

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Rocket Propulsion.
  • Software Engineering

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster