Title:
Options for Flight Testing Rocket-Based Combined-Cycle (RBCC) Engines

dc.contributor.author Olds, John R. en_US
dc.contributor.corporatename American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
dc.date.accessioned 2006-03-17T16:00:12Z
dc.date.available 2006-03-17T16:00:12Z
dc.date.issued 1996-07
dc.description 32nd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference Lake Buena Vista, FL, July 1996. en_US
dc.description.abstract While NASA's current next-generation launch vehicle research has largely focused on advanced all-rocket single-stage-to-orbit vehicles (i.e. the X-33 and it¹s RLV operational follow-on), some attention is being given to advanced propulsion concepts suitable for "next-generation-and-a-half" vehicles. Rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) engines combining rocket and airbreathing elements are one candidate concept. Preliminary RBCC engine development was undertaken by the United States in the 1960's. However, additional ground and flight research is required to bring the engine to technological maturity. This paper presents two options for flight testing early versions of the RBCC ejector scramjet engine. The first option mounts a single RBCC engine module to the X-34 air-launched technology testbed for test flights up to about Mach 6.4. The second option links RBCC engine testing to the simultaneous development of a small-payload (220 lb.) two-stage-to-orbit operational vehicle in the Bantam payload class. This launcher/testbed concept has been dubbed the W vehicle. The W vehicle can also serve as an early ejector ramjet RBCC launcher (albeit at a lower payload). To complement current RBCC ground testing efforts, both flight test engines will use earth-storable propellants for their RBCC rocket primaries and hydrocarbon fuel for their airbreathing modes. Performance and vehicle sizing results are presented for both options.
dc.format.extent 781516 bytes
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/1853/8439
dc.language.iso en_US
dc.publisher Georgia Institute of Technology en_US
dc.publisher.original American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
dc.relation.ispartofseries SSDL ; AIAA 96-2688 en_US
dc.subject Combined cycle engines
dc.subject Supersonic combustion ramjet engines
dc.subject Hybrid systems
dc.subject Air-breathing engines
dc.title Options for Flight Testing Rocket-Based Combined-Cycle (RBCC) Engines en_US
dc.type Text
dc.type.genre Paper
dspace.entity.type Publication
local.contributor.corporatename Space Systems Design Laboratory (SSDL)
local.contributor.corporatename Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering
local.contributor.corporatename Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering
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relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication a348b767-ea7e-4789-af1f-1f1d5925fb65
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