A systems study of very small launch vehicles
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1999.
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2005
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/9383 |
| _version_ | 1826216478945312768 |
|---|---|
| author | Francis, Richard J. (Richard James), 1974- |
| author2 | Alan H. Epstein. |
| author_facet | Alan H. Epstein. Francis, Richard J. (Richard James), 1974- |
| author_sort | Francis, Richard J. (Richard James), 1974- |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1999. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:48:21Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/9383 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:48:21Z |
| publishDate | 2005 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/93832019-04-12T21:45:23Z A systems study of very small launch vehicles Systems study for a very small liquid propellant launch vehicle Francis, Richard J. (Richard James), 1974- Alan H. Epstein. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Aeronautics and Astronautics. Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1999. Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-115). Motivated by the continuing miniaturization of small satellites and ballistic payloads, this thesis studies the perform&ace and feasibility of very small launch vehicles (15 kg- 2000 kg liftoff mass). Gross payload performance for several vehicles was calculated with a commercial three degree of freedom trajectory code. The significance of aerodynamic drag on small vehicles is discussed. Both the options of air and ground-launched vehicles were examined as well as composite configurations with existing motor stages. Parametric analyses were carried out, examining the impact of varying propellant mass fraction, stack fraction, launch conditions (velocity and altitude), and vacuum specific impulse. All vehicles are based on a version of the MIT microrocket engine, a micro-scale rocket engine fabricated in silicon, and weighing 2 g. The engines use nitrogen tetroxide and hydrazine as propellants which are pump-fed to the engine using micro turbopumps. Following the performance study, a 77 kg vehicle (w/o gross payload) was carried through a preliminary design. Various subsystems were analyzed, focusing on: vehicle structure, propellant tank design, and propellant pressurization and delivery. The mass of the various vehicle components were analyzed and compared with initial inert mass estimations used to determine gross payload performance. by Richard J. Francis, Jr. S.M. 2005-08-22T20:45:39Z 2005-08-22T20:45:39Z 1999 1999 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/9383 44890828 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 125 p. 10622462 bytes 10622221 bytes application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Aeronautics and Astronautics. Francis, Richard J. (Richard James), 1974- A systems study of very small launch vehicles |
| title | A systems study of very small launch vehicles |
| title_full | A systems study of very small launch vehicles |
| title_fullStr | A systems study of very small launch vehicles |
| title_full_unstemmed | A systems study of very small launch vehicles |
| title_short | A systems study of very small launch vehicles |
| title_sort | systems study of very small launch vehicles |
| topic | Aeronautics and Astronautics. |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/9383 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francisrichardjrichardjames1974 asystemsstudyofverysmalllaunchvehicles AT francisrichardjrichardjames1974 systemsstudyforaverysmallliquidpropellantlaunchvehicle AT francisrichardjrichardjames1974 systemsstudyofverysmalllaunchvehicles |