Air liquefaction and enrichment system propulsion in reusable launch vehicles
Abstract
A concept is shown for a fully reusable, Earth-to-orbit launch vehicle with horizontal takeoff and landing, employing an air-turborocket for low speed and a rocket for high-speed acceleration, both using liquid hydrogen for fuel. The turborocket employs a modified liquid air cycle to supply the oxidizer. The rocket uses 90% pure liquid oxygen as its oxidizer that is collected from the atmosphere, separated, and stored during operation of the turborocket from about Mach 2 to 5 or 6. The takeoff weight and the thrust required at takeoff are markedly reduced by collecting the rocket oxidizer in-flight. This article shows an approach and the corresponding technology needs for using air liquefaction and enrichment system propulsion in a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle. Reducing the trajectory altitude at the end of collection reduces the wing area and increases payload. The use of state-of-the-art materials, such as graphite polyimide, in a direct substitution for aluminum or aluminum-lithium alloy, is critical to meet the structure weight objective for SSTO. Configurations that utilize 'waverider' aerodynamics show great promise to reduce the vehicle weight.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Propulsion and Power
- Pub Date:
- July 1994
- Bibcode:
- 1994JPP....10..485B
- Keywords:
-
- Liquefaction;
- Reusable Launch Vehicles;
- Rocket Engine Design;
- Single Stage To Orbit Vehicles;
- Spacecraft Design;
- Spacecraft Propulsion;
- Turborocket Engines;
- Graphite-Polyimide Composites;
- Liquid Air;
- Liquid Hydrogen;
- Liquid Oxygen;
- Rocket Oxidizers;
- Spacecraft Construction Materials;
- Waveriders;
- Weight Reduction;
- Spacecraft Propulsion and Power