You are on page 1of 1

Peregrine Sounding Rocket

Eric Doran, Jonny Dyer, Kevin Lohner, Zach Dunn, Mark Marzo
Marzoa, Evan Karlik,
Karlik,
Professor Brian Cantwell and Greg Zilliac
Aero Fluid Mechanics Lab, Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics,
Astronautics, Stanford University

Introduction

Fuel Regression Rate Study Results

In recent years, there has been rising interest in hybrid propulsion systems
as an alternative to conventional solid or liquid propellant rockets due to
certain advantages in terms of safety and cost. Current research in the
Aero Fluid Mechanics Lab is aimed at furthering the understanding of
hybrid rocket combustion, developing design tools and methodology, and
advancing the commercial value of this technology.

Regression rate, a critical parameter in the design of hybrid rockets follows the classical regression rate law:
where a, n, and m must be empirically obtained. The data collected were used to calculate the space and time
averaged ballistic coefficients in the regression rate law using two methods: a least squares fit, and the
averaged c* method.1

Ground Test Facility


A ground test facility was built at NASA Ames to enable hot fire testing of
the flight weight combustion chamber for validation before launch.3 The
test series will consist of approximately 3 cold flow and 9 hot fire tests,
culminating in 3 full duration burns in flight configuration.
Hardware fabrication and system checkout for the ground test facility is
complete with cold flow tests to begin shortly.

Objective
The Peregrine Sounding Rocket is a joint project of Stanford University
and NASA Ames Research Center to demonstrate the advantages of
liquefying hybrid fuel technology for responsive launch applications. This
will be achieved through the design, fabrication, testing, and launch of a
paraffin fueled sounding rocket that will lift a 5 kg payload to an altitude
of 100 km.

Three pyrotechnic igniters


will provide the necessary
heat to ignite the main fuel
grain

In pursuit of this goal, the project will be carried out in two phases:
Ground test series for motor validation at NASA Ames, California
Flight Vehicle launch from NASA Wallops, Virginia

Brass injector plate


designed for nominal mass
flow rate of 24.5 kg/s
(roughly equivalent to 3
fire hoses)

Operational Envelopes and Regression Rate Curves for Initial Test Series

Preliminary Sizing and Detailed Design


Performance analysis to determine an initial mass budget, optimal trajectory, and thrust time history. The
analysis resulted in a 16 inch diameter rocket with a gross lift-off weight of 1874 lbs and an average thrust of
14,034 lbf over a burn time of 18 s. The oxidizer feed system delivers nitrous oxide at a rate of 24.5 kg/s into
the main combustion chamber resulting in an operating pressure of 700 psi. A novel oxidizer throttling
system was developed to enable a range of 50-100% of the nominal flow rate.2

Paraffin fuel grains 5.5 feet in length


and 12.5 inches diameter are spin
cast and then overwrapped with
composite layers for strength

Length: 32 ft
Diameter: 16 in.
Thrust: 14,000 lbf

Hot Fire Testing of Paraffin/N2O Hybrid

SubSub-scale Testing
In support of sounding rocket development, subscale testing was
conducted whenever possible to verify analysis and test subsystems. For
this purpose, a portable facility was developed to test various fuels using a
supercharged nitrous oxide feed system. Over 100 successful hot fire tests
have been conducted with this facility over a large range of operating
conditions with over 10 different fuel configurations.

Spun steel nozzle skirt is flame


sprayed with a zirconium oxide
coating (white) for thermal
protection
The combustion chamber is mounted
to a thrust stand rated to 25,000 lbf.
Load cells will be used to measure
thrust during testing.
The flight weight main oxidizer
valve with actuator and throttling
system will also be tested.

Fuel:
Paraffin (SP1-A)
Oxidizer: N2O

Schematic of Peregrine Flight Vehicle


Pyrotechnic Igniter

Paraffin Fuel Grain

Ablative Nozzle Insert

N2O Flow

Injector Manifold

250 lbf Thrust, Supercharged Nitrous Oxide Hybrid Test Facility

Acknowledgments
Financial Support for this research is provided by the Stanford University
Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics and NASA Ames Research
Center.

Main Combustion Chamber Section


Length 7.25 ft, Diameter 14 in

Zirconium Oxide Coated Steel


Nozzle Skirt

Bibliography
1. Nitrous Oxide Hybrid Rocket Motor Fuel Regression Rate Characterization, AIAA-2006-4671
2. Design and Development of a 100km Nitrous Oxide/Paraffin Hybrid Rocket Vehicle, AIAA-2007-5362
3. Test Facility Development for the 15,000lb Thrust Peregrine Sounding Rocket, AIAA-2007-5358

Complete Flight Weight Combustion Chamber Assembled for


Ground Testing

Further Information
Please direct any inquiries to:
Eric Doran (emdoran@stanford.edu), Brian Cantwell (cantwell@stanford.edu)
Greg Zilliac (gzilliac@mail.arc.nasa.gov

You might also like