Solar-Powered Rocket Engine Optimized for High Specific Impulse

Abstract

Hercules Aerospace is currently developing a solar-powered rocket engine (SPRE) design optimized for high specific impulse (lsp). The SPRE features low loss geometry in its light-gathering cavity, which includes an integral secondary concentrator. The simple one-piece heat exchanger is made from refractory metal and/or ceramic open-celled foam The foam's high surface-area-to- volume ratio will efficiently transfer thermal energy to the hydrogen propellant The single-pass flow of propellant through the heat exchanger further boosts thermal efficiency by regeneratively cooling surfaces near the entrance of the optical cavity. These surfaces would otherwise reradiate a significant portion of the captured solar energy back out the cavity entrance. Such design elements promote a high overall thermal efficiency and hence a high operating lsp.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA413742

Entities

People

  • J. B. Pande

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Advanced Materials
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Boundary Layer
  • Chemical Vapor Deposition
  • Energy
  • Engines
  • Geometry
  • Heat Exchangers
  • Materials
  • Metals
  • Payload
  • Radiation
  • Refractory Metals
  • Rocket Engines
  • Solar Energy
  • Solar Radiation
  • Specific Impulse

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials
  • Solar Photovoltaics and Thermoelectric Devices.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster