S wiss P ropulsion L aboratory

Swiss Propulsion Laboratory

At a glance

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Switzerland and it‘s Space Industry

• Switzerland is a founding member of ESA (ca. 130 Mio. €/y)

• Universities: Rosetta space probe, biol. experiments for ISS etc.

• Lot‘s of high tech companies, only few into space technologies, none in propulsionTwo Examples:

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Founding of SPL• Founded by 3 engineers (today: 7 members and

additional helpers) in autumn 98 as a non-profit research organization. Financed by priv. funds and sponsoring (ARO-TECHNOLOGIES)

• Aims:– Development of launch sytems for small payloads

(X-Bow launcher family)

– Close cooperation with universities, companies and other research groups

– Main focus: Design, build and test propulsion related components and equipment like injectors, comb. chambers, (cryogenic) valves, igniters, pressurization systems, complete thrust test stands etc.

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Projects

• Solid Propulsion

• Misc./Infrastructure

• X-Bow Launcher Family

• Australian AUSROC 2.5

• Pre-SPL Projects

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ARO TECHNOLOGIES Pre-SPL History

• In the years 1994 to 1997 ARO TECHNOLOGIES developed various components for the project „Stingray“.

Click on picture to start movie

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Projects

• Solid Propulsion

• Misc./Infrastructure

• X-Bow Launcher Family

• Australian AUSROC 2.5

• Pre-SPL Projects

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X-Bow I

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X-Bow ITridyne

• Tridyne gas is catalyticaly „burned“ in a catalyst. It consists of a low percentage of Hydrogen/Oxygen mixed in a inert gas like Helium or Nitrogen.

• A typical SPL Tridyne test device:

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X-Bow ITridyne

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X-Bow I Engine

• 10 kN thrust, combustion pressure 2.5 MPa• Propellant: LOX and Kerosene or Ethyl Alcohol, m~ 4

kg/s• Electrical torch igniter makes the engine restartable

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X-Bow I EngineCurrent work: 10 kN modular test injector with 19 removable elements. Prepared for film-cooling

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X-Bow I Engine•Triplet injectors (2 fuel, 1 LOX), film cooling•Cold spray tests in a high pressure environment up to 6

MPa done by students at FHBB(droplets size and velocity measured by a LDA)

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X-Bow I Engine

• Ablatively or regeneratively cooled combustion chamber• Regenerative cooled variant: Copper liner with machined

cooling channels and an outer shell of electro plated nickel. Low cost variant: Aluminum-Liner and saddle design

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X-Bow I Engine•Successful test of a 2.5 kN subscale low-cost

combustion chamber made of aluminum.

Click on picture to start movie

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X-Bow I Engine•Successful test of a 2.5 kN subscale low-cost

combustion chamber made of aluminum. At full throttle…

Click on picture to start movie

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Projects

• Solid Propulsion

• Misc./Infrastructure

• X-Bow Launcher Family

• Australian AUSROC 2.5

• Pre-SPL Projects

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AUSROC 2.5LOX/Kerosene, 3o kN thrust, 6m tall. SPL supports the project with pressurization equipments and other devices. Altitude: ~40 km. Movie AUSROC 2

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AUSROC 2.5Staging mechanism: Designed and build by FHNW students. More info’s about AUSROC: www.asri.org.au

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Projects

• Solid-Propulsion

• Misc./Infrastructure

• X-Bow Launcher Family

• Australian AUSROC 2.5

• Pre-SPL Projects

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Solid Propulsion•Goal: Elaborate the knowledge to design, build and fire

solid rocket motors (AP-HTPB-Al Composite)•Testing of highly efficient burning rate catalysts like

CATOCENE => burning rates up to 25 mm/s @ 7 MPa•Various test motors up to an impulse of 20 kNs and

thrust of 12 kN

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Solid propulsion TETHIS Motor

• Impulse 20 kNs, thrust 8 kN, 4 stacked grains (81% solids)• Ignited by a pyrogen Magnesium/Teflon igniter•Series of Tethis motors successful tested in April 2002

Click on picture to start movie

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Solid Propulsion Igniters

•Pyrogen igniters are small rocket motors initiated by smaller pyrotechnic charges (Squibs)

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Solid Propulsion Igniters

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Solid Propulsion Magnesium/Teflon igniter

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Projects

• Solid Propulsion

• Misc./Infrastructure

• X-Bow Launcher Family

• Australian AUSROC 2.5

• Pre-SPL Projects

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Miscellaneous Projects

Test bench for Turbo pumps

Turbines and pumps up to 200 kW and 60‘000 rpm can be tested here

Click on picture to start movie

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Infrastructure

•All kinds of conventional and NC machine tools, EDM, ECM•CAD/FEM/CAM/CFD tools available•DAQ equipment: 64 channels, 100 kSp/s

4 channels , 500 MSp/s•Hydro test equipment 100 MPa•Vacuum chamber , 24 m3, 1000 Pa•Pressure converter, allows to compress any kind gas

mixtures to pressures up to 100 MPa (for example the Tridyne gas mix)

• Indoor test stand for small thrusters, igniters, gas generators

•100 kN thrust test stand•Sound suppressing System for engines up to 100 kN •And much more ...

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Infrastructure Thrust Test Stand

•For solids and liquids•exchangeable load cells 25 and 100 kN•Measuring table mounted on hysteresis-free

flex joints• integrated safety stops

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Infrastructure Thrust Test Stand

•Sound suppressing system (12m long stainless tube, with baffles, embedded in 20 t sand)

•High power fan•Ex-proof test cell

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Infrastructure Thrust Test StandTest cell

Start MTW-Movie to get an impression of the infrastructure

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Infrastructure Other examples

•5 axis CNC milling machines, CNC lathe •Access to underground detonic laboratory with high-

speed X-Ray recording

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The Near Future at SPL

•Further development of regenerative cooled engines up to 100 kN

•Participation in the ENTERPRISE project– Development of the engines– Propellant feeding system, pressurization etc.

•Launch of AUSROC 2.5 equipped with SPL Tridyne system

•Development of the X-Bow I airframe•Various projects with commercial and governmental partners

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Contact and further info‘s:

WWW.SPL.CH

Questions ?