Propulsion Research Activities Abound at Auburn University · research associated with aircraft and rocket propulsion have ... electric, and nuclear propulsion technology. ... 2009

A DoD Information Analysis CenterSponsored by JANNAF and DTIC

Vol. 35, No. 3 May 2009 News and Information for the Greater Propulsion Community

Inside This IssueJANNAF Subcommittees to Convene in La Jolla, CA ..........................................3

Johns Hopkins University Sponsors 6th Annual Physics Fair..............................9

CU-Boulder Develops Drag and Atmo-spheric Neutral Density Explorer .....10

JANNAF Meets in Las Vegas..............12

JANNAF Journal Vol. 3, Call for Papers...16

Two Successful Motor Test Firings in Support of IHPRPT............................17

In Memoriam Frederick A. Boorady, Dr. Russell Reed, Jr., and Dr. Ralph Roberts.................18

NASA Stennis Space Center Focuses on Helium Conservation........................19

Spotlight on SBIRs/SBTTsCSE Develops Optimization Tool for Scramjet Applications........................20

Rocket Test Group at NASA WSTF.......23 1st NCRES Held in So. Maryland......23Technical/Bibliographic Inquiries...............2

Bulletin Board/Mtg.Reminders..................3JANNAF Meeting Calendar...............back

continued on page 4

Propulsion Research Activities Abound at Auburn UniversityPropulsion Research Activities Abound at Auburn University

Purdue University Promotes Propulsion Purdue University Promotes Propulsion Education and Research through Unique Education and Research through Unique

Testing FacilitiesTesting Facilities

JANNAF Propulsion Meeting & Joint Subcommittee Meeting held in Las Vegas – See page 12

By Dr. Winfred A. “Butch” Foster, Dr. Roy Hartfi eld, and Dr. Brian ThurowAuburn University, Auburn, Alabama

By Dr. Steven F. Son, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

AAuburn University’s Aerospace Engineering Depart-ment is the site of many activities related to the pro-pulsion of aerospace vehicles. The study of propul-

sion systems at Auburn began with the creation of the aero-nautics curriculum for the 1931-1932 academic year, and the fi rst graduates fi nished the program in 1933. Instruction and research associated with aircraft and rocket propulsion have been an integral part of what is now Aerospace Engineer-ing. While coursework related to propulsion had been in the curriculum since its inception in 1933 and specifi c courses dealing with air breathing and rocket propulsion had also been added over a period of years, it was the 1966 arrival

continued on page 6

PPurdue University has a long tradition in propulsion research, and its unique facilities enable hands-on education in combustion and aerospace sciences. A signifi cant part of propulsion testing facilities at Purdue are located at a

remote location, away from the main part of campus, on a 24-acre site adjacent to the Purdue University Airport. Rocket propulsion testing at Purdue began in 1948, under the direction of Dr. Maurice Zucrow. The Advanced Propellants and Combustion Laboratory (APCL) houses two control rooms and three test cells (Cells A, B, and C) for propulsion testing, fuel coking studies, and propellant development. Another rocket test cell (Cell T) is now operational in the Propulsion Laboratory. Test fi rings are conducted and observed from the control rooms. In addition, there are several small-scale experimental labs throughout the Zucrow complex.

of Richard Sforzini, a Morton Thiokol solid rocket motor specialist, that marked the beginning of a major emphasis on propulsion, both in the academic curriculum and as a major research topic. In 1967, two new rocket propulsion courses covering liquid propellant rockets and solid propel-lant rockets were introduced into the undergraduate curricu-lum as electives. Both courses provided a foundation for the preliminary design and performance analysis of rocket mo-tors. In the early 1970s, because of the intended use of solid rocket motor boosters on the Space Shuttle, NASA’s Mar-shall Space Flight Center (NASA/MSFC) needed to provide training in the area of solid rocket motors to engineers whose

Page 2 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 35, No.3, May 2009

Recent CPIAC Products and Publications

JANNAF Journal of Propulsion and Energetics, Volume II, April 2009.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC INQUIRIES

TECHNICAL INQUIRIES

The Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center (CPIAC), a DoD Information Analysis Center, is sponsored and administratively managed by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). CPIAC is responsible for the acquisition, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of information and data relevant to chemical, electric, and nuclear propulsion technology. In addition, CPIAC provides technical and administrative support to the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Interagency Propulsion Committee. The purpose of JANNAF is to solve propulsion problems, affect coordination of technical programs, and promote an exchange of technical information in the areas of missile, space, and gun propulsion technology. A fee commensurate with CPIAC products and services is charged to subscribers, who must meet security and need-to-know requirements.

The Bulletin is published bimonthly and is available free of charge to the propulsion community. Reproduction of Bulletin articles is permissible, with attribution. Neither the U.S. Government, CPIAC, nor any person acting on their behalf, assumes any liability resulting from the use or publication of the information contained in this document, or warrants that such use or publication of the information contained in this document will be free from privately owned rights. The content of the Bulletin is approved for public release, and distribution is unlimited.

Paid commercial advertisements published in the Bulletin do not represent any endorsement by CPIAC.

Editor: Rosemary Dodds410-992-1905, ext. 219; Fax 410-730-4969

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Copy editor: Kelly Bennett

The Johns Hopkins University/CPIAC10630 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 202

Columbia, Maryland 21044-3286CPIAC Director: Dr. Edmund K. S. Liu

CPIAC is a JANNAF- and DTIC-sponsored DOD Information Analysis Center operated

by The Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering

under contract W91QUZ-05-D-0003http://www.cpiac.jhu.edu

Copyright © 2009The Johns Hopkins University

No copyright is claimed in works of theU.S. Government.

CPIAC’s Technical/Bibliographic

Inquiry Service

CPIAC offers a variety of services to its subscribers, including responses to technical/bibliographic inquiries. Answers are usually provided within three working days and take the form of telephoned, telefaxed, electronic, or written technical summaries. Customers are provided with copies of JANNAF papers, excerpts from technical reports, bibliographies of pertinent literature, names of recognized experts, propellant/ingredient data sheets, computer programs, and/or theoretical performance calculations. The CPIAC staff responds to nearly 800 inquiries per year from over 180 customer organizations. CPIAC invites inqui-ries via telephone, fax, e-mail, or letter. For further information, please contact Ron Fry by e-mail to [email protected]. Representative recent inquiries include:

Synthesis of Trimethylolmethane Trinitrate (TMMTN) (Req. 26342)•

Asbestos Content in Patriot Rocket Motor Insulation (Req. 26345)•

SRM Canted Nozzle Mechanism Design (Req. 26346)•

Commercial Leak Detection Systems for Hypergolic Propellants (Req. • 26352)

Small SRM Manufacturers in Northeast US (Req. 26380)•

Current Environmental Ruling on the use of Ammonium Perchlorate • (AP) (Req. 26379)

CPIA-LS79-6, "Underwater Vehicle Propellants," by Theodore Gilliland • (Req. 26298)

Understanding Flow Blockages in Small Thrusters, 1980 JANNAF Propul-• sion Meeting (Req. 26358)

DB Propellant Properties, DB Propellant Gassing and Composite Propellant • Gassing (Req. 26360)

Page 3 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 35, No. 3, May 2009

The Bulletin Board Various propulsion-related meetings are listed below. If you know of an event that may be of interest to the propulsion community, please forward the details to [email protected]. Additional industry meetings are posted on the CPIAC Web site, Meetings & Symposia: http://www.cpia.jhu.edu/templates/cpiacTemplate/meetings/. The JANNAF Calendar appears on the back page.

Fundamentals of Explosives5-7 May 2009University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode IslandPOC: Dr. Jimmie Oxley, 401-874-210 or e-mail: [email protected]

2009 Insensitive Munitions and Energetic Materials Technology Symposium11-14 May 2009Tucson, ArizonaPOC: www.ndia.org

Sixth Mediterranean Combustion Symposium7-11 June 2009Porticcio-Ajaccio, Corsica, France POC: www.ichmt.org/mcs-09/

40th ICT Annual Conference23-26 June 2009Karlsruhe, GermanyPOC: www.ict.fhg.de

45th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit2-5 August 2009Denver, ColoradoPOC: www.aiaa.org

7th International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring 20099-11 September 2009Stanford University, Stanford, CAPOC: http://young-sacl.stanford.edu/member.php

2009 International Autumn Seminar on Propellants, Explosives and Propellants22-25 September 2009Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaPOC: http://www.iaspep.com.cn

6th International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion1-5 November 2009Scottsdale, ArizonaPOC: http://aibep.org/ISBEP_6/ISBEP_6.htm

8th International Symposium on Special Topics in Chemical Propulsion2-6 November 2009Cape Town, South AfricaPOC: Prof. Ken Kuo at [email protected], or call (1-814) 863-6270

The Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 43rd Combustion/31st Airbreathing Propulsion/25th Propulsion Systems Hazards Joint Subcommittee Meeting will be held December 7-11, 2009 in La Jolla, California. Unclassifi ed sessions will be conducted at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla; classifi ed sessions will be held at the Naval Fleet Intelligence Training Center in San Diego.

CPIAC distributed the meeting an-nouncement and call for papers in March. Abstracts are due May 25; proposals for workshops are due June 8.

The Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aven-tine is a luxury hotel located within walking distance of a variety of restau-rants and shopping, and within a 10-min-ute drive to beautiful beaches, the Birch Aquarium, and the Torrey Pines golf course. Visit the hotel’s Web site for a full description of available amenities: www.lajolla.hyatt.com. Room rates for this JANNAF meeting are $139 for gov-ernment and $209 for industry attendees.

Attendance at this JANNAF meeting is restricted to U.S. citizens whose orga-nizations are registered with an appro-priately classifi ed contract with the De-fense Technical Information Center and certifi ed for receipt of export-controlled technical data with the Defense Logistics Information Service.

Please contact Patricia Szybist at [email protected] or 410-992-7302, ext. 215, if you require additional information, or if you did not receive the meeting an-nouncement and call for papers.

Poolside at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla

JANNAF43rd Combustion/

31st Airbreathing Propulsion/ 25th Propulsion Systems Hazards

Joint Subcommittee Meeting

December 7-11, 2009La Jolla, CA

http://www.cpia.jhu.edu/templates/cpiacTemplate/meetings/


MSFC for a computer code that could be used on relatively small computers, which would be able to match results from more sophisticated internal bal-listics codes to within 5% for such variables as thrust, specifi c impulse, total impulse, etc. A so-called simpli-fi ed internal ballistics computer code was developed to meet these objec-tives. In fact, this code was accurate to within 3% in general and to within 1% for certain parameters. It formed the basis for much of the work done at Auburn over the next 15 years. This work included a Monte Carlo thrust imbalance prediction code which uti-lized 41 variables for the Space Shut-tle solid rocket boosters. The simpli-fi ed code also served as the basis for the development of design and design optimization codes based on a pattern search technique for solid rocket mo-tor preliminary design. Other uses of the simplifi ed code include studies of off-design performance and reverse engineering analyses to evaluate mo-tor characteristics based on fl ight or test data. An expanded version of the simplifi ed internal ballistics code, the Solid Rocket Motor Multiple Options Program, included the capability to account for propellant grain deforma-tion effects, circumferential grain tem-perature distributions, and the effects of circular perforated grain ovality and centerline misalignment. These last two effects are not known to be accounted for in any other internal ballistics code today. On two occa-sions, experimental efforts have been conducted at NASA/MSFC to obtain a better understanding of the fl ow fi eld induced by an igniter in the head-end star grain slots. This work included the design and fabrication of 1/10th-scale models for the reusable solid rocket motor (RSRM) and advanced solid rocket motor (ASRM) head-end star grains. Measurements included oil smear data, pressure data, heat transfer, laser doppler velocimetry data, and fl ow visualization data, using

Scramjet Combustor Design

The study of fuel-air mixing in a supersonic cross-fl ow has been inves-tigated extensively as a test case for a scramjet combustor geometry. With the development of computing tech-nology, it is possible to develop opti-mized preliminary designs for scramjet combustors using a computational fl uid dynamics (CFD) solver and a Genetic Algorithm (GA). Experimental results from research conducted in the 1990s have been used for the validation of the CFD solutions. The experiments were highly focused on developing accurate data sets for a single-case fl ow situa-tion. This effort builds on this single validated case by considering geomet-ric variations of the combustor design, solving for the fl ow, and arriving at a geometry which is optimized for mix-ing effi ciency with minimum total pressure loss under the direction of a GA. Sample results for the validation case are shown in Fig. 2.

continued on page 5

Auburn UniversityAuburn University....continued from page 1

background had historically been lim-ited to liquid propellant rocket engines. NASA MSFC chose to use an expanded version of the solid rocket motor course being taught at Auburn for this training program, and it was taught onsite on two occasions. Additional and expand-ed graduate courses in propulsion were introduced beginning in the late 1960s.

The vast majority of research at Au-burn in the area of rocket propulsion has been related to performance prediction, preliminary design, and optimization of solid rocket motors. The modeling and optimization effort has been supple-mented by experimental investigations in facilities on campus and at NASA/MSFC. Liquid rocket and air breath-ing propulsion research has included preliminary design and optimization of ramjet and scramjet combustors and ramjet- and scramjet-powered vehicles, nonintrusive, instream measurements of critical fl ow parameters in nonreact-ing combustor geometries, and the on-going development of advanced mea-surement diagnostic techniques.

The research areas at Auburn are var-ied and cover many of the major areas of interest associated with both rocket and air breathing propulsion. Several of the individual research activities at Auburn are described in the following sections.

Solid Rocket Motor Performance and Design

Solid rocket motor research activi-ties at Auburn University have been ongoing for the last forty years. This research has been primarily directed at the development of analytical tools for solid rocket motor internal ballistic analysis, optimization of solid rocket motor powered missiles, and struc-tural analysis of solid rocket motor hardware. One of the earliest major efforts began in the early 1970s to sup-port NASA/MSFC efforts to evaluate the internal ballistic performance of the Space Shuttle’s solid rocket motor boosters. There was a need at NASA/

aluminum particles to seed the fl ow. Igniters with both single- and multiple-port confi gurations were evaluated. A subset of these experiments included an effort to evaluate plume interactions for multi-port igniters. The model used for the slots along with the igniter mod-els tested for the ASRM are shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 1. Model used for the slots and igniter models tested for the ASRM.


Rocket and Ramjet Propelled Vehicle Design

Recent vehicle design optimization efforts have focused on multiple-stage solid propellant vehicles, single- and mul-tiple-stage liquid propellant vehicles, solid motor boosted ramjets, and solid motor boosted scramjets. Successful dem-onstrations of a two-stage all-solid propellant-kinetic weapon system and a solid motor-boosted air breathing vehicle have supported the U.S. Army’s mission to develop advanced weapon systems. A substantial program to develop solid propellant-fueled launch vehicles has resulted in an optimized version of the minotaur launch vehicle and vehicles that include enhanced perfor-mance using aerodynamic lifting during early fl ight. During this effort, the performance of the basic wingless vehicle was found to be enhanced by varying the geometric defi nition of the attached wing structure and the internal propellant. Initial system weights and propellant mass fractions were found to decrease for a given payload even with the addition of the wing structure. Figure 3 shows representations of an optimized solid boosted ramjet missile system and an aerodynamically enhanced launch vehicle.

Diagnostic Technique Development for Propulsion Flows

Recently, researchers at Auburn have been developing high-speed advanced laser diagnostics suitable for measurements in high-speed and/or reacting propulsion-related fl ows. The centerpiece of this development is a home-built pulse-burst laser system capable of producing high energy (>10 mJ/pulse) laser pulses at repetition rates exceeding 1 MHz and wavelengths ranging from 266 nm to 1064 nm. Used in conjunction with a high-speed camera capable of 500,000 fps, the laser can be used to take high-speed fl ow measurements using techniques such as planar laser-induced fl uorescence to simple fl ow visualization. Perhaps the most unique application of the system, however, has been for the acquisition of 3-D fl ow images. For 3-D imaging, a galvanometric scanning mirror is used to scan the high-repetition laser sheet through the fl ow fi eld with a high-speed camera recording the image at each scan location. A 3-D image can then be reconstructed from the stack of 2-D images. The overall acquisition process can be completed in tens of microseconds. An example of the technique used to visualize the fl ow of a turbulent jet is shown in Fig. 4.

For additional information on propulsion research and activities at Auburn University, visit the Aerospace Engineering Department’s Web site: http://eng.auburn.edu//programs/aero/.

Figure 2. Sample results for the validation case.

Figure 3. Optimized solid boosted ramjet missile system (left) and an aerodynamically enhanced launch vehicle (right).

Auburn UniversityAuburn University....continued from page 4

Figure 4. 3-D imaging technique used to visualize fl ow of a turbulent jet.


Gelled Propellant Lab (GPL) The GPL is Purdue’s newest propulsion laboratory being

developed in support of an Army Research Offi ce (ARO) Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program on spray and combustion of gelled hypergolic propellants, which was awarded last year to Purdue and its partners. The GPL houses a control room and a laboratory space dedicated to small-scale testing with hypergolic propellants such as NTO, IRFNA, and hydrazine-based fuels. The versatility of the mechanical and data acquisition systems as well as the dedicated air ventilation and monitoring systems installed at GPL make this laboratory particularly well-suited for testing of hypergolic systems and fi re/vapor suppressant systems, as well as other small-scale experimental activities.LOX-LCH4 Facility

The LOX-LCH4 facility is being developed to provide a

known-temperature liquid cryogenic fl uid to a test article. Standard gaseous oxygen and methane cylinders are used to supply pressurized gases into cyrogenic chilling tanks to produce and store liquid propellants for test operation. Each system can be independently temperature-controlled with a goal to deliver specifi ed temperature propellants to the test hardware. The facility is designed to test small-scale thrusters and ignition work in addition to fundamental instability research of LOX-LCH

4.

Solid Propellant Mixing and Combustion Lab Purdue’s solid propellant mixing facility utilizes a Ross

model DPM-1 Quart double planetary mixer that has a mix-ing range of ½ pint to 1 quart with stirrer speeds of 22-98 rpm with cooling or heating control, and vacuum to about 0.5 psia. The Ross mixer can be operated remotely from a control room. The facility includes two windowed pressure vessels (Crawford bombs) for combustion studies of propel-lants and energetic materials. Pressures up to 6000 psi can be considered. Sapphire windows allow access to infrared

continued on page 7

access, and a top window of one of the vessels is confi gured for the use of a Zinc Selenide (ZnSe) top window that al-lows ignition studies using a CO

2 laser. High-speed digital

microscopic imaging and visible/IR spectroscopy are used in combustion studies. Electostatic discharge (ESD) and impact testing is used to quantify sensitivity of new propel-lants. Material ball milling, cutting, and polishing, along with microscopy, are also available for sample character-ization. An environmentally controlled glovebox is used to keep nanometals pristine. A light gas gun, explosive blast chambers, and initiator testing facilities are also currently used. Purdue also maintains active Class 1.1 and 1.3 bun-kers for remote storage of energetic materials as part of the Zucrow Laboratory complex. Many other small-scale labo-ratory research projects are also located at Zucrow Labs, in-cluding hydrogen storage, combustion, spray dynamics, and fl uid dynamics. High Pressure Lab (HPL)

Originally constructed in the mid-1960s in support of the Apollo program, HPL provides the most substantial capa-bilities for rocket and airbreathing combustion and nozzle studies with two large test cells classed to 10,000 lbf thrust levels. A 6000 psi nitrogen system serves for pressurizing facility tanks, and 5000 psi liquid oxygen, gaseous hydro-gen, kerosene, hydrogen peroxide, and cooling water capa-bilities exist to the 10,000 lbf thrust level. A gas-fi red heat exchanger provides airfl ows heated to 1000Ο F at fl owrates on the order of 10 lb/s to simulate airbreathing combustor inlet conditions, and roughly 5 tons of high-pressure air storage is available from the lab air system. There are also several unique large-scale testing facilities at Zucrow Labs. Pulse denotation and high-pressure gas turbine combustor test rigs are currently in place at HPL. The airbreathing com-bustor rig provides optical access for diagnostic access to the combustor. The HPL Annex is the newest building within the HPL complex. This 1400-sq ft structure provides large

Figure 1. Hydrocarbon fi lm cooling test on 10 klbf thrust stand at Purdue High Pressure Laboratory (left). On the right, is a fi tted heat fl ux measurement for a HO combustor. Different lines within each pressure grouping refer to measurements at different azimuthal locations.

Purdue UniversityPurdue University....continued from page 1


fl ow capabilities for airbreathing combustion and nozzle ex-periments (see Ref. 1 for details).

In the past decade or so there has been a reinvigoration of the facilities and increase in personnel at Purdue directing efforts in propulsion, as well as in related areas of energy and combustion. Additional details about the facilities can be found at https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Research/ResearchFacilities/LabFacilities, https://engineering.purdue.edu/Zucrow/index.html and in Refs. 2 and 3.

Current Research Topics

Research pertaining to propulsion is inherently multidis-ciplinary and therefore includes elements from numerous or-ganizations within the Schools of Engineering and Science at Purdue University. More than a dozen professors, specifi -cally within the Schools of Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Aeronautics and Astronautics (AAE), are involved with propulsion research at Purdue. This faculty advises over 75 graduate students and postdocs in the AAE and ME depart-ments with annual research expenditures in the $5 million/year range. The faculty and students are supported by sever-al staff members, including a Senior Engineer and a Techni-cal Services Supervisor. Recently, testing and collaborative research programs have been conducted with funding from Rolls Royce Allison, Aerojet, Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman Space Technologies, Precision Combustion Inc., General Kinetics, ATK, NASA Marshall Space Flight Cen-ter (MSFC), Stennis Space Center (SSC), Dryden Flight Re-search Center (DFRC), and Glenn Research Center (GRC), Orbital Sciences Corporation, Air Force Offi ce of Scientifi c Research (AFOSR), Army Research Offi ce (ARO), Offi ce of Naval Research (ONR), Naval Research Offi ce (NRO), Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Ensign-Bickford Aero-space and Defense Company (EBA&D), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and others. Liquid/gelled, solid propellant, and airbreathing propulsion are all being studied.

Additional information about the faculty and staff is available on the following Web sites: https://engineering.purdue.edu/Zucrow/People/faculty.html; https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Research/ByProfessor/Propulsion; and https://engineering.purdue.edu/Zucrow/People/index.html.Liquid and Gelled Propulsion

Research in liquid rocket propulsion includes studies of the ignition and chemical kinetics of hypergolic propellants; gelled propellants; development of a combined analytical-experimental-computational testbed for combustion instabil-ity; and detailed computations of the hydrodynamics inside injector elements, rocket-based combined-cycle engines, and measurement of heat fl ux in a few-thousand lbf thrust multi-element oxygen-hydrogen combustor.

Large-scale rocket studies are conducted on the 10,000 continued on page 8


lbf thrust stand in the High Pressure Lab (shown in Fig. 1) during a liquid hydrocarbon fi lm cooling test conducted for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and its SBIR contractor, Sierra Engineering. Axially- and circumferen-tially-resolved heat fl ux measurements in a seven-element HO combustor at 1000 psia are also shown in Fig. 1; mea-surements like these are being used by NASA to learn how to accurately compute the 3-D reacting fl owfi eld inside high-pressure rocket combustors.

A major effort to develop a methodology for a priori pre-diction of liquid rocket combustion instability comprises a hierarchy of analysis, experiments, and computations.

Experiments using an unstable model rocket combustor are used to validate the high-fi delity (e.g., LES) computa-tions, and those results are used to derive reduced-order combustion response models for use in engineering-level models for stability prediction. This work is being conducted for AFRL, AFOSR, and its subcontractor, INSpace. Studies to examine the combustion stability of LOX/LCH

4 engines

for NASA lunar missions are also underway.Most recently, Purdue was awarded a MURI from ARO

for a comprehensive study of gelled propellants. The pro-gram includes the development of models for gel rheology and internal fl ow, as well as studies of spray formation, hy-pergolic ignition, and drop burning of the gelled propellant. The culmination of this program is the integration of these results into a time-accurate computational model of rocket combustor processes, ranging from fl ow into the injector ele-ments to combustion product fl ow out the nozzle, that is vali-dated by a benchmark experiment conducted at the Gelled Propellant Laboratory.Solid Propellants and Energetic Materials

Although solid propellant studies are not new to Purdue, there has been a recent increase in solid propellant research. Currently, there are seven graduate students working in this area. With the development of propellant mixing, combus-tion, and characterization capabilities, researchers can now systematically develop and study new solid propellants, as well as produce standard propellants for testing. Some cur-rent projects that have been funded include a study of erosive burning (NASA); development and characterization of a new propellant binder system (MDA); high burning rate propel-lants (EBA&D); dynamic combustion of nano-aluminized propellants (AFOSR-STTR); development and testing of advanced propellants, including Al-ice (ALICE) propellants (AFOSR/NASA); and aluminum droplet dynamics in realis-tic environments (AFOSR-STTR). Related research topics on energetic materials, including nanoscale composite en-ergetic materials, are actively pursued in laboratories in the Propulsion and Combustion Buildings.


pressor followed by a pre-diffuser and combustor plenum features a highly loaded outlet guide vane and adjustable ro-tor tip clearance rings. The third test cell is dedicated to investigating techniques to mitigate forced response issues in a 3-stage compressor designed by GE-Energy.

Of course, the most important product of Purdue’s propul-sion program is its well-educated and trained student body. Purdue is one of the few schools to offer propulsion as a ma-jor fi eld of study and courses in airbreathing and rocket pro-pulsion at both the undergraduate and graduate level. These unique educational opportunities provide Purdue graduates with the tools necessary for advancing the propulsion state of the art as professional engineers. Recognition of Purdue’s position and impact on the fi eld of propulsion was evidenced last year when the University topped the Aviation Week list of preferred institutions from which the aerospace and de-fense industry recruits.

References1Matsutomi, Y., Hein, C., Chenzhou, L., Meyer, S.E., Merk-le, C., and Heister, S. D., “Facility Development for Testing of Wave Rotor Combustion Rig,” AIAA-2007-5052, 43rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Cincinnati, OH, July 8-11, 2007.

2Pourpoint, T.L., Meyer, S.E., Ehresman, C.M., “Propulsion Test Facilities at the Purdue University Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories,” AIAA 2007-5333, 43rd Joint Propulsion Conference, July 2007.

3Heister, S. D. et al., “Propulsion Educational and Research Programs at Purdue University,”AIAA 2007-, 43rd Joint Propulsion Conference, July 2007.


Figure 2. 3-D Fan Performance CFD Analysis Conducted for a Supersonic Business Jet Flowfi eld (left). On the right is an image from Purdue’s compressor research facility aimed at investigating tip leakage effects on the last stage of a highly loaded Rolls-Royce outlet guide vane and pre-diffuser confi guration.

Airbreathing PropulsionThe propulsion group at Purdue University maintains a

substantial research effort in airbreathing propulsion. Pur-due also maintains the nation’s only Rolls-Royce University Technology Center (UTC) in the area of high Mach propul-sion. Ongoing UTC work involves the study of high tem-perature fuel systems and fuel coolant confi gurations to pro-vide turbine cooling air for high Mach applications. Studies in coking of JP fuels, endothermic potential of JP-10, fuel/air heat exchangers, fuel system thermoacoustic instabilities, and injection and mixing of supercritical fuels are currently underway within the UTC. In addition, a large group within the UTC is studying inlet and exhaust systems for supersonic business jet applications with Rolls-Royce and partner Gulf-stream Aerospace Corp. Computational studies (Fig. 2) are being conducted on both inlet and exhaust system concepts, and advanced confi gurations are being studied to enhance propulsion system performance and to minimize noise. A substantial test facility (BiAnnular Nozzle Rig, or BANR) has been developed for this project to support hotfi re testing of turbofan nozzle confi gurations. The BANR can simulate turbine and fan exit conditions to nozzle pressure ratios of 6 with overall fl ows of 30-50 lb/s.

Experimental facilities are also available for studying tur-bomachinery fl ows. A unique high-speed rotating compres-sor research facility has received recent driveline upgrades, including 1400 hp motors controlled with variable frequency drives for each of the three high-speed test cells. Current research efforts are investigating fl ow through a high-per-formance Rolls-Royce centrifugal compressor assembly. A gearbox featuring a gear ratio of 30:1 provides the required 52,000 rpm shaft speed. Axial compressor research is aimed at investigating rear core performance issues, including ef-forts to desensitize tip leakage fl ows from the relatively high clearances experienced in the geometrically small stages in the rear of the core. The last stage of a Rolls-Royce com-


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The Henry A. Rowland Department of Physics and Astronomy at The Johns Hopkins University sponsored its 6th Annual Physics Fair on Saturday, April 25, 2009, from 11:00 am until 5:30 pm. The fair featured a Balloon Rocket Contest and more than 200 active science demonstrations,

as well as interactive astronomy exhibits and activities including the Hubble Space Telescope exhibit. Students in elementary and middle school as well as high school competed individually in the Science and Physics Challenge Contests. Team competitions similar to “It’s Academic” were offered through the Physics Bowl and Science Bowl. Prizes were awarded for all of the events. In ad-dition, the Maryland Space Grant Observatory was open for tours, and visitors were able to observe sun spots and activity of the sun’s corona using the Morris W. Offi t Telescope.

Michael McPherson of Aerojet Culpeper presented his Adven-tures in Aerospace demonstration of various scientifi c principles to fair attendees. Ably assisted by Dr. Edmund Liu, CPIAC’s director and Zhuohan Liang, a JHU physics department graduate student, they entertained and educated scores of young visitors.

CPIAC staff member Patricia Szybist greeted visitors at the CPIAC booth and distributed bookmarks, t-shirts and NASA stick-ers provided by Mr. McPherson.

The Johns Hopkins University Sponsors The Johns Hopkins University Sponsors 6th Annual Physics Fair! 6th Annual Physics Fair!

CPIAC Joins in the Outreach Effort for Next Generation Scientists

CPIAC Director Ed Liu shows student visitors how to skewer a balloon without popping it!


TThe Drag and Atmospheric Neutral Density Explorer (DANDE) is a 50-kg, spherical spacecraft being de-veloped by students at the University of Colorado at

Boulder (CU-Boulder) through the Colorado Space Grant Consortium (COSGC) in partnership with the Aerospace Engineering Science Department (ASEN). The mission of the DANDE is to provide an improved understanding of the satellite drag environment in the lower thermosphere at low cost.

Attempting to study the Earth’s upper atmosphere is not a new endeavor, which is of great benefi t to the team because leaders in the fi eld who are located in Colorado are available to advise student efforts at the University. Project Starshine, run out of offi ces in Monument, Colorado, consisted of a se-ries of passive spheres that were monitored from the ground to observe their orbits’ decay before reentry. The fi rst sphere was launched from the Shuttle Discovery during STS-96; the next two were launched in 2001 – one during STS-108 and the other on an Athena launch vehicle. The CHAMP (CHAllenging Mini-satellite Payload) satellite, which was launched in 2000, is designed to study the gravity fi eld of Earth and has the ability to probe the Earth’s upper atmo-sphere for climate modeling. The images in Fig. 1 show the radically differerent forms these satellites took on with their intended missions.

Students at the University of Colorado at Boulder DevelopStudents at the University of Colorado at Boulder Develop Drag and Atmospheric Neutral Density Explorer (DANDE)Drag and Atmospheric Neutral Density Explorer (DANDE)

Each of these satellites was designed with a mission to monitor one variable of the drag equation. In the case of Starshine, the parameter was atmospheric drag. CHAMP monitored the upper atmosphere, effectively providing den-sity readings. DANDE is unique in studying the lower ther-mosphere for the degradation of satellite orbits because it is designed to study two important parts of the drag equa-tion simultaneously. A basic layout of the drag equation is shown in Fig. 2, with the individual variables called out to

show how the DANDE spacecraft identifi es them. A novel accelerometer instrument is on board that rotates navigation grade accelerometers in and out of the ram vector producing a sinusoidal wave of acceleration readings. By implementing this system to register the accelerations on the satellite, the instrument is capable of submicro-g resolution. Additionally, the satellite is equipped with a Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS) that can register the wind on orbit along with atmo-spheric density. DANDE, with its dual instrument approach, is considered an active sphere and will help with the valida-tion of the current atmospheric drag models that can vary at present by anywhere from 300 to 800%.

Drag is one of the few disturbances that can affect sat-ellites while in low Earth orbit (LEO) and becomes more prominent with the increase in atmosphere as altitude de-creases. Figure 3 illustrates how the altitude of the Interna-tional Space Station (ISS) fell dramatically after a solar fl are hit the Earth’s atmosphere. The reason behind the solar fl are

continued on page 11

By Kyle D. Kemble, Lee E. Jasper, and Marcin D. PilinskiUniversity of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

Figure 1. At left, Starshine Director Gil Moore is shown holding a mockup of the Starshine 1 & 2 Payloads.1 At right, illustration of the CHAMP satellite2 while on orbit.

Figure 2. Body frame of DANDE illustrating the rise of the drag force.

1http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/champ2http://azinet.com/starshine/index.html

Figure 3. Orbit degradation of the ISS and the infl uence of the atmosphere.


causing a loss of altitude is due to the added energy, with the input causing there to be a lower density and expan-sion of the atmosphere which greatly af-fects satellites in LEO. DANDE intends to help defi ne to what degree satellites can be expected to lose altitude. This type of validation is important to the U.S. Air Force since it will help them to acquire objects after a solar event. Without a valid model to map off of, the Air Force must expend signifi cant manpower to re-track all objects. The other market for the data gathered by DANDE is in the community of LEO satellites that require a high degree of pointing accuracy. The atmospheric drag, if not acting at the center of grav-ity, will create a torque on the space-craft, causing it to move away from its current position.

To achieve its goals, DANDE will make measurements at altitudes be-tween 200 and 400 km using spacecraft radar tracking and 2 on-board instru-ments. Tracking will be done through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Air Force Space Command Studies and Analysis Division (AFSPC/A9A), which will provide high-priority pre-cision tracking for drag. In order for DANDE to be operationally useful as a tracking target, it must be near-spheri-cal, imposing challenges to the design of the structure, power, and commu-nication subsystems. Figure 4 is an il-lustration of the on-orbit confi guration that the DANDE is expected to have. Unique learning opportunities for stu-dent engineers are provided through these technical challenges, and excel-lence in engineering development is achieved as students contextualize and implement knowledge learned both in the classroom and through research ac-tivities. The DANDE project benefi ts students by allowing them to set re-quirements, design a complex system, and fi nally integrate and test it.

DANDE provides a unique educa-tional forum for teaching design and systems engineering, but its mission is

Figure 4. Illustration of DANDE confi gured for on-orbit operations.

University of Colorado at Boulder....University of Colorado at Boulder....continued from page 10

also a response to government and in-dustry needs for near-real time space-weather and drag prediction, which are important to both government and industry operators of low-earth orbit-ing satellites with precision naviga-tion needs. Additional government organizations that participate in the DANDE collaboration with CU-Boul-der engineering students include the Air Force Offi ce of Scientifi c Research (AFOSR), Air Force Research Labo-ratories (AFRL), Naval Research Lab (NRL), National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

The DANDE project is part of the AFRL University Nanosat Program (UNP), which is aimed at the develop-ment of satellite design and research capabilities at universities as well as the education of the future space-engineer-ing workforce (See http://www.vs.afrl.af.mil/UNP/). The UNP includes the University Nanosat Competition, lik-ened to the national championships of satellite design. CU-Boulder’s entry in the competition was part of the fi fth iteration that began with 30 university proposals 2 years ago. Those initial 30 proposals were then down-selected to a class of 10 that were funded for a 2-year design lifetime. During this time, the DANDE focused on the de-sign of the spacecraft along with the

manufacture of its fl ight structure. This was followed by four design reviews that were attended by members of in-dustry and resulted in the team receiv-ing invaluable feedback for refi nement of the spacecraft. The fi nal competion review with all of the entrants was held on January 20, 2009 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and after a full day of demonstration and judging, DANDE was announced as the winner of the competition. Winning this competition comes with two benefi ts: a guaranteed launch to LEO and additional funding from the AFOSR for the fi nal integra-tion and testing. The satellite will be delivered by the end of the 2009 calen-dar year and ideally will be manifested on a launch in the 2010 to 2011 time-frame.

Additional information on the DANDE project may be obtained by visiting the DANDE Web site at http://dande.colorado.edu or by contacting the authors: Kyle D. Kemble ([email protected]), Integra-tion and Testing Lead, Undergraduate Aerospace Engineering Sciences; Lee E. Jasper ([email protected]), Project Manager, Graduate Aerospace Engineering Sciences; and Marcin D. Pilinski ([email protected]), Science Advisor, Graduate Aero-space Engineering Sciences.

Is your organization or university engaged in

propulsion-related research and activities that you’d like share with our subscribers?

Submit your article to the

CPIAC Bulletin.

For more information, visit the CPIAC Web site or contact

Editor Rosemary Dodds at [email protected].

http://www.vs.afrl.af.mil/UNP

http://dande.colorado.edu

mailto: [email protected]

http://www.cpiac.jhu.edu


Keynote Stephen A. Cook takes questions from the audience after his presentation.

The 56th Joint Army-N a v y - N A S A - A i r Force (JANNAF)

Propulsion Meeting (JPM), 39th Structures and Mechani-cal Behavior Subcommittee (SMBS), 35th Propellant and Explosive Development and Characterization Subcom-mittee (PEDCS), 26th Rocket Nozzle Technology Subcom-mittee (RNTS), 24th Safety and Environmental Protection Subcommittee (SEPS), and 17th Nondestructive Evalu-ation Subcommittee (NDES) Meet-ing was held Tuesday through Friday, April 14-17, 2009, at the Renaissance Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Bruce R. Askins of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, chaired the meeting. Atten-dance was 522, with over 260 papers presented. There were 43 regular tech-nical sessions, 2 specialist sessions, and 4 workshop sessions. All attendees received a complimentary copy of the second issue of the JANNAF Journal of Propulsion and Energetics.

JANNAF Community Meets in Las Vegas for 56th JANNAF Propulsion Meeting and Joint Subcommittee Meeting

(39th SMBS, 35th PEDCS, 26th RNTS, 24th SEPS, and 17th NDES)

Program highlights included a key-note address, “The Ares Launch Ve-hicles: Critical Capabilities for Amer-ica’s Continued Leadership in Space,” by Stephen A. Cook, manager of the Ares Projects at NASA MSFC. Mr. Cook described progress on the Ares I system, which will transport the Orion crew exploration vehicle into space and deliver cargo payloads to space – key to U.S. space exploration objectives.

The Ares Project Offi ce is respon-sible for the overall integration of the launch vehicle system, including devel-opment of a fi rst stage derived from the current space shuttle booster and a new upper stage powered by a J-2X engine. The project offi ce is also responsible for development of NASA’s future Ares V

cargo launch vehicle and Earth Departure Stage, which will carry heavy-lift payloads to space for use by exploration missions on the moon and beyond.

After the keynote ad-dress, several individuals were honored for their con-tributions to the JANNAF Propulsion Community. Dr. Robert C. Corley of the Air Force Research Labo-ratory (AFRL) at Edwards AFB received the JANNAF

Executive Committee (EC) Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding support to JANNAF as well as his 50-plus years of leadership and achieve-ment in propulsion technology. Dr. Allan J. McDonald, retired from ATK and now a consultant, also received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recog-nition of his 50 years of signifi cant con-tributions to the propulsion industry, to the advancement of technology, and to the sustainment of capabilities. Dr. Mc-Donald was unable to attend the meet-ing; David Riemer of ATK accepted the award on his behalf.

Certifi cates of Appreciation were presented to JANNAF Session Chairs Mr. Frederick J. Borrell and Mr. Rich-ard S. Muscato, both of the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Indian Head Division; Dr. Benjamin Greene of Ja-cobs Technology, Inc.; and Dr. Tom W. Hawkins of AFRL-Edwards AFB.

In addition to the regular sessions, George Hopson and Len Worlund of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) and National Insti-tute of Aerospace presented a two-day course, “Space Propulsion Systems: Learning from the Past and Looking to the Future.” The tutorial was held April 16-17.


James L. Taylor presents Dr. Robert C. Corley of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards AFB, with the JANNAF Executive Committee Lifetime Achievement Award.

(left to right) JANNAF Executive Committee Chair James L. Taylor, Keynote Speaker Stephen A. Cook, and Program Chair Bruce R. Haskins


56th JPM Technical Program

The JPM program consisted of 10 JPM-only sessions and 10 sessions combined with 1 or more subcommittees. Session topics were: The Integrated High-Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology (IHPRPT) program, gun propulsion, technology and manufacturing readiness levels (a specialist session), solid propellant test methods, propellant process engineer-ing, rocket motor technologies, tactical rocket propulsion, Ares launch vehicles, scramjet technology, propulsion con-cepts for space exploration, solid rocket motor performance prediction, missile defense / strategic propulsion, and launch abort motor technology.

39th SMBS Technical Program

SMBS conducted fi ve sessions independently and four sessions with JPM and other subcommittees. Session top-ics were material properties and characterization, aging and service life, technology and manufacturing readiness levels, the business case for system health monitoring, and wireless sensors.

Technology and manufacturing readiness levels (TRLs and MRLs) comprised a specialist session, which was con-ducted jointly by JPM, PEDCS, and SMBS. In 2008, the Department of Defense conducted a tri-service study to in-vestigate reducing the time required to develop and qualify new tactical rocket motors. Recommendations included the establishment of descriptions of appropriate TRLs and MRLs for solid propellant rocket motors, so as to assist program planners in the early stages of development. At the work-shop, various industry and government metrics of readiness levels for energetic ingredients, propellants, case materi-als, nozzles, thrust vector control systems, igniters, arm-fi re devices, devices for insensitive munitions compliance, and other aspects of solid propellant rocket motors were consid-ered, in order to help identify technology or manufacturing availability shortfalls that must be resolved to allow weapons development to proceed on schedule and within budget.

The business case for system health monitoring was a workshop. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is funding Consensus Technology LLC to conduct a business case study for Integrated Health Management in the chemi-cal propulsion arena, including both solid and liquid sys-tems. The study will require interested individuals to work with the primary investigator, James H. MacConnell, to evaluate the potential benefi ts of health management. Work-shop participants established the evaluation process. Others interested in participating may contact Mr. MacConnell at 206-524-8555.

Wireless sensors encompassed a two-day workshop. The workshop presented case studies on the use of wireless tech-nology to transmit sensor data, including technology to de-tect impact on the wing leading edge of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. A panel discussion was held to consider the benefi ts

of wireless versus wired sensor technology, the current state of the art, and obstacles to the im-plementation of wireless sensors.

35th PEDCS Technical Program

PEDCS conducted 12 sessions independently and 10 sessions with JPM and other subcom-mittees. Session topics were green energetic materials, environmen-tal protection, the status of selected propellant ingredients, propellant process engineering, technology and manu-facturing readiness lev-els (joint specialist ses-sion – see SMBS Tech-nical Program), solid propellant test methods, guns and high-gas-out-put devices, explosives formulation and devel-opment, tactical rocket propulsion, aging and service life, liquid pro-pellants, and novel solid propellant ingredients.

The status of selected propellant ingredients constituted a special-ist session. It was one in a series of specialist sessions that have been conducted at JANNAF meetings to inform the propulsion community of changes and trends in the availability and qual-ity of certain propellant ingredients, which are selected on the basis of their critical roles. Representatives of eight suppliers of propellant ingre-dients gave presentations that included background/history of ingredient production, current products of interest, pro-duction capabilities with emphasis on unique technologies,

JANNAF Propulsion Meeting and Joint Subcommittee Meeting....continued from page 12


Program Chair Bruce R. Haskins presents Certifi cates of Recognition to JANNAF Session Chairs, top to bottom, Mr. Frederick J. Borrell and Mr. Richard S. Muscato of NSWC-IHD; Dr. Benjamin Greene of Jacobs Technology, Inc.; and Dr. Tom W. Hawkins of AFRL-Edwards AFB.



areas of expertise relative to ingredient production, current and potential envi-ronmental issues, topics of current re-search and development, government programs supported by the supplier, reasons and circumstances regarding any past disruption of production, fu-ture prospects or trends in production of ingredients of interest, and contact personnel. A critical materials update from the 2009 meeting of The Techni-cal Cooperation Program (TTCP) was also provided.

26th RNTS and 17th NDES Technical Program

RNTS conducted three sessions inde-pendently and fi ve sessions with either JPM or NDES. Session topics were the Integrated High-Payoff Rocket Propul-sion Technology (IHPRPT) program; inspection and evaluation; rocket motor technologies; new rocket nozzle tech-nologies; and nozzle design, test and evaluation. The sessions on inspection and evaluation were conducted jointly by NDES and RNTS.

24th SEPS Technical Program

SEPS conducted three sessions in-dependently and two sessions with PEDCS. Session topics were green energetic materials; environmental pro-tection; toxicology; occupational and environmental health; demilitarization, reclamation and reuse technology; and hazardous material management.

Subcommittee Panels

The PEDCS held seven panel meet-ings. Variability of hydroxyl-termi-nated polybutadiene (HTPB) was the primary focus of the Propellant and Explosive Process Engineering Panel meeting. HTPB is a critically important solid propellant ingredient. Propellant manufacturers have encountered varia-tions in propellant mechanical proper-ties attributable to HTPB. In order to more effectively deal with the variabil-ity issue, the panel plans to conduct a HTPB Workshop at the JANNAF Pro-pulsion Systems Hazards Subcommit-tee (PSHS) meeting in December 2009.

Of particular interest to the Solid Pro-pellant Ingredients and Formula-tions Panel are foreign developments in energetic materials and energetics databases administered by the Depart-ment of Energy (DoE). The panel also plans to work with the Propellant and Explosive Process Engineering Panel in conducting a future HTPB work-shop. The Chemical Test Methods Panel decided to review the methods in the CPIA Propellant Characteriza-tion Handbook (CPIA Publication 507) to determine whether they are still ap-propriate and represent the state of the art. The panel also reviewed recent progress in the addition of spectral data to CPIAC’s Propellant and Explosive Ingredients Database. Members of the Guns and High Gas Output Devices Panel meeting discussed the fi ndings of a recent workshop on sub-scale insensi-tive munitions testing conducted under The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP). The panel also decided to plan for a workshop on closed bomb testing to be conducted in conjunction with the 2010 TTCP meeting. Items of interest expressed at the Surveillance and Ag-ing Panel meeting were a workshop on test methods for propellant aging, a workshop on relations between propel-lant chemical and mechanical proper-ties as they are affected by aging, ap-plication of wireless sensor technology to surveillance, and collaboration with the Joint Propellant Safety and Surveil-lance Board. Attendees at the Liquid Propellants Panel meeting were inter-ested in the continued need for material compatibility studies, ground support equipment requirements for hypergolic bipropellants, quantity-distance crite-ria for liquid propellants, the status of military specifi cations for hypergols, and a study in the variability of RP-1 hydrocarbon fuel. The Energetic Ma-terials Development Panel focused on following the development of specifi ca-tions for CL-20 and NTO. It was also suggested that panel members look at CPIAC’s online Propellant & Explo-

sive Ingredients Database (PEID) and provide input to CPIAC regarding any new ingredients that should be added.

Two RNTS panels held meetings. Discussion topics of the Nozzle De-sign and Evaluation Panel included replacement of North American Rayon Corporation (NARC) rayon for the Re-usable Solid Rocket Motor nozzle, the nozzle erosion Multidisciplinary Uni-versity Research Initiative (MURI) pro-gram funded by the Offi ce of Naval Re-search, the need to document char and erosion kinetics to maintain the knowl-edge base and archive lessons learned, and possible paths for funding nozzle material research and testing. Topics of interest to the Rocket Nozzle Model-ing Panel were thermo-structural mod-eling of tape-wrapped composite parts, combined aerothermal/gas-dynamic analyses of nozzle components, and two-phase combustion gas interaction with nozzle materials.

The SEPS held four panel meetings, including a combined meeting of the Instrumentation Panel and the Range Safety and Atmospheric Modeling Panel. They considered various ideas for facilitating the updating of CPIA Publication 394 (Hazards of Chemical Rockets and Propellants). Topics of in-terest to the Occupational Health and Toxicology Panel were contribution to and review of the proposed Green En-ergetic Materials Handbook (more on this in the next paragraph), contribution to ASTM methods for evaluating tox-icity, participation in the ASTM nano-materials group, coordination of nano-material environmental/safety/health issues within the JANNAF community, and contribution to the tri-service Toxi-cology and Risk Assessment Confer-ence (TRAC). Attendees at the Demili-tarization, Reclamation, and Reuse Technology Panel meeting expressed interest in the comparative economics of ammonium perchlorate conversion to perchloric acid versus chlorate salts,



JANNAF Members Enjoy Conference and Reception


recovery of nitroguanidine from triple-base propellants, and reuse of nitrocellulose from SPD 16-in. gun propellant.

Panel meetings included the Green Energetic Materials and Environmental Protection Panel, which is governed jointly by PEDCS and SEPS. One of the tasks discussed by the panel is the development of a green energetic materi-als handbook that outlines the history of green energetics, lessons learned, and regulatory applicability. This task may lead to a procurement manager’s guide to green energetics as well. Another possible task is the development of a guide to environmental tests needed in the course of implement-ing new energetic materials. The guide could include a fl ow chart showing the optimal progression of testing and a model time line to indicate which tests are needed and when. Panel members also shared information as to the best sources of environmental property data.

Four SMBS panels also held meetings. The Structural Analysis Panel is considering revision of CPIA Publica-tion 612, which is a handbook of guidelines for determin-ing rocket motor grain design margins of safety. The De-fect Evaluation Panel has completed round-robin tests for propellant defect and analog wedge fracture analyses. They also prepared a Solid Rocket Motor Defect Summary Chart to supplement a defect detection capabilities document de-veloped by NDES. The Materials Properties and Charac-terization Panel is looking to update CPIA Publication 21 (Solid Propellant Mechanical Behavior Manual) with new and revised testing procedures. The panel members would also like to create a digital version of the document and to verify that the procedures comply with NATO STANAG re-


quirements. The Service Life Panel has cosponsored two workshops on missile system health monitoring. Additional tasks comprise formation of a users’ group for Texchem (a computer program that models diffusion effects within com-plex structures), development of guidelines for the use of sensors in monitoring service life, and a joint workshop with PEDCS on material properties that need to be measured for service life characterization.

Although the Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee (MSS) did not have a full meeting at this time, its Solid Rocket Motor Performance Prediction and Standardiza-tion Panel met. The panel decided to collect BATES motor fi ring data conducted at AFRL as well as test data from the Tullahoma range, to create a database for comparison with predictions. The panel also agreed upon physical phenome-na that need to be better understood and modeled to improve prediction. The next step is to identify specifi c models and down-select for validation.

Meeting Proceedings

Meeting proceedings will be available soon on CD-ROM. Qualifi ed customers may contact CPIAC at 410-992-7300 or by e-mail to [email protected] for more information or to order the proceedings.

Future Plans

The next joint meeting of these subcommittees is planned for November or December 2010. The next JPM, which will include the Modeling and Simulation, Liquid Propulsion, and Spacecraft Propulsion Subcommittees, is tentatively scheduled for May 2010.

JANNAF Journal of Propulsion and EnergeticsJANNAF Journal of Propulsion and Energetics

Submit your papers that are export controlled to the

JANNAF Journal

Deadline for next issue (Vol. 3): July 30, 2009

Need more information?

Visit www.jannaf.org


Motor Test Firings for Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology Program (IHPRPT) Prove Successful

Two successful demonstration motor fi rings – one by Alliant Techsystems (ATK) and the

other by Aerojet – occurred recently in support of the U.S. Air Force’s In-tegrated High Payoff Rocket Propul-sion Technology (IHPRPT) program, Phase II. While ATK’s motor fi ring took place at the ATK Space Systems, T-6 Test Facility in Promontory, Utah, Aerojet conducted its test at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards AFB, Calif. AFRL oversees the IH-PRPT program, with participation from industry, to advance technolo-gies and materials to meet the goals established for increased motor per-formance and improved mass fraction, while reducing cost.

ATK and the AFRL successfully tested a developmental solid rocket motor, designated Phase II, on De-cember 12, 2008, culminating an eight-year development and produc-tion effort. The data and technology from this test will help develop even more robust solid rocket motors with high energy propellants, lighter com-ponents (including next-generation cases and nozzles), and lower produc-tion costs.

Reduced weight and increased mo-tor energy are key factors to increas-ing rocket motor performance. Incor-porated in the Phase II motor was a higher performance composite case, low-cost improved insulation mate-rial, a unique trap-ball nozzle joint, and upgraded material on the liner of the nozzle’s exit cone. The Phase II motor contained more than 2,000 lbs of high-energy propellant that was packaged in a 37-in.-dia. composite case and produced more than 19,900 lbf throughout the approximate 30-sec duration of the test.

Just a few months later on March 11, 2009, Aerojet and the AFRL suc-cessfully conducted, at simulated alti-tude conditions, a static test of Aero-jet’s Technology Assessment Motor (TAM) in support of the IHPRPT Phase II program. Aerojet’s TAM de-sign incorporates numerous advanced technologies and materials to demon-strate achievement of the Phase II per-formance goals for solid propulsion rocket motors to include increasing motor performance by 4 percent and improving mass fraction by 25% while at the same time providing a 25% re-duction in hardware and operational and support costs. In order to meet these goals, Aerojet’s TAM confi gura-tion uses new technologies, materials and fabrication processes, including 6,380 lbm of high-energy solid pro-pellant loaded in a composite case that uses environmentally benign resin and a supersonic splitline fl exseal nozzle (SSFN) with a domestically produced Triaxially-Braided C/C Exit Cone. Or-bital Sciences Corporation integrated a new modular electrical-mechanical thrust vector control actuation (EM TVA) system by using Moog-supplied EM actuators and a digital control-ler. The unique SSFN represented the highest payoff component to be evalu-ated because it enabled increased mo-tor performance and mass fraction as well as enhanced Thrust Vector Con-trol (TVC) capability for upper stage strategic propulsion systems. It was the fi rst full-scale, long-duration, al-titude static test of this technology as part of the IHPRPT program.

During the 42-sec static fi ring, the 46-in.-dia. TAM achieved a peak thrust of more than 48,000 lbf. Initial post-test inspection indicated that all components, including the supersonic

fl exseal nozzle, propellant grain, in-sulated composite case, igniter, and TVA, successfully met performance goals.

Technologies that are developed from the IHPRPT program can be transferred to other motor programs that currently exist or develop in the future. Developments from an IHPRPT Phase I motor that ATK and AFRL successfully tested eight years ago have been incorporated in both strate-gic and commercial solid rocket motor programs.

The Phase II development program is headed by the IHPRPT Steering Committee and is comprised of repre-sentatives from DoD and NASA orga-nizations.

Cou

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y of

AT

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IHPRPT Phase II Demonstration Motor Static Test conducted December 12, 2008 at the ATK Space Systems, T-6 Test Facility, Promontory, Utah.

This article includes excerpts from the following press releases: ATK New Release (12/12/2008), “ATK and AFRL Successfully Test Development Motor for Innovative High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology Program,” and Aerojet News Release (03/25/2009), “Aerojet’s Advanced Technology Demonstration Motor Successfully Tested by Air Force.” All of the information contained herein has been approved for public release and is published with permission from AFRL, ATK, and Aerojet.

Editor’s Note: The initial publication of this article on May 5, 2009 contained inaccurate statements, which have been corrected in the version published below.


In Memoriam

Dr. Ralph Roberts, a Navy scientist who specialized in advanced energy and propellants, passed away on January 23, 2009 at the Carriage Hill of Bethesda re-tirement facility, Bethesda, Maryland. He was 93.

Dr. Roberts was born Ralph Raben-ovets in Bridgeton, New Jersey. He re-ceived his bachelor’s degree and his Ph.D. in chemistry from Catholic University.

During World War II, Dr. Roberts worked for the Navy in Annapolis, Mary-land. He joined the Offi ce of Naval Re-search in 1946 and served as the head of its London branch in 1955 and 1956 before eventually becoming the director of the power research branch. While at the Offi ce of Naval Research, Roberts worked closely with a number of promi-nent scientists, including two who went on to win Nobel prizes. He retired in 1974.

After his retirement from the Offi ce of Naval Research, Roberts worked for Mi-tre Corporation, an independent, not-for-profi t corporation that supports scientifi c and technical research for various gov-ernment organizations. In 1982 he was the principal author of a technical book about industrial electrochemistry.

Dr. Roberts was a fellow of the Ameri-can Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and a member of the American Chemical Society and the Electrochemical Society.

His wife of 62 years, Ruth Drapen Roberts, died in 2002. He is survived by his two children, two granddaughters, and a brother.

Dr. Ralph Roberts, Navy Scientist

Dr. Russell Reed Jr., Energetic Materials Scientist

Dr. Russell Reed Jr. passed away on April 8, 2009 in Santa Barbara, California,

at the age of 86 after a short illness. Born on Dec. 25, 1922 to parents Ruby and Russell Reed Sr. in Glendale, Califor-nia, he grew up in Santa Monica and attended UCLA for both undergraduate

and doctoral degrees, earning his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1946. He married Leslie Parry Reed in 1956. They were married for 50 years.

Dr. Reed worked as a chemist at Rocket Power in Mesa, Arizona, at Thiokol, Inc. in Utah, and at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center, where he worked for 35 years, attaining the title of Senior Research

Scientist in the Aerothermochemistry (later the Research) Division. His areas of interest included heterocyclic organic compounds, chemical processes, improved polymeric binders, recyclable and energetic binders, gun and rocket propellant formulations, nanofuels, coated oxidizers and coating techniques, fl uorine compounds, pyrotechnics, gas generators, inert simulants for energetic materials and moisture barriers and soil conditioners. Dr. Reed was author or co-author on over 100 publications, a similar number of patents, and innumerable presentations and tutorials. He was awarded a Senior Fellowship at China Lake and also received the William B. Mclean Award. He worked until health issues caused his retirement at age 77.

Dr. Reed is survived by his son Russell Laurence Reed, daughter Ellen

Dr. Russell Reed, Jr.

Mr. Frederick A. Boorady, 2007 recipient of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Wyld Propulsion Award, passed away on November 4, 2008, while on his way to vote with his wife, Marilyn. He was 78.

Mr. Boorady began his propulsion career when he joined Bell Aerospace Company in 1952. He stayed with the fi rm throughout its history of acquisi-tion by Textron, Inc., Atlantic Research Corporation (ARC), and, fi nally, Aerojet. Boorady worked in the design, analysis, project engineering, systems engineer-ing, and technical management of liquid rocket engines and systems, including, among others, the Bell X-1, the Agena Engine Program, the Gemini Program, the Lunar Excursion Module Ascent Engine, Minute-man III, and the United Kingdom’s Polaris Sea-Launched Ballistic Missile.

Mr. Boorady was awarded the U.S. Air Force’s System Command Award in 1964 for outstanding achievement for his technical leadership in the Gemini-Agena Program, and was selected by the Air Force as one of the Founding Fathers of the Minuteman Missile Program. He was recognized as ARC’s longest tenured employee in 1999 and, most recently, received the AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award for his multiple contributions to the development of numerous liquid propulsion technologies as well as his efforts in developing and fi elding multiple liquid propulsion systems.

In addition to his wife, survivors include 4 children, 12 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.

Frederick A. Boorady, Liquid Propulsion ExpertC

ourt

esy

of A

IAA

Mr. Fred Boorady (center) receives the Wyld Propulsion Award from General Conference Chair John Blanton at the 43rd AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference in 2007. On left, AIAA President Paul Nielsen.

Reed Evans (Brendon), and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Leslie P. Reed, his son James Reed, and daughter Rosanna Reed.

Memorials may be made to the UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Box 951569, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1569.


and perhaps sooner than many expect. So, with substitution of another element impossible at this rime, users of helium are left with two major options – recapture the element for reuse and learn to conserve.

Recapturing helium may be possible in the test complex at Stennis, but

it is not yet known if it can be done effectively. “We also would have to determine if there would be an adequate return on the investment to outfi t the test facilities for the process, assuming readily adaptable, industry proven solutions exist to begin with,” noted Shamin Rahman, deputy director of the Engineering and Test Directorate at Stennis.

Short-term, then, the focus at Stennis is on conservation. The current emphasis is on evaluating processes to make sure there is no overuse.

Helium conservation at Stennis is most basically accomplished through minimizing leaks in test systems. Engineers at the rocket engine test facility also are working to minimize the use of helium through more effi cient valving procedures. Even as those steps are taken, a special team of NASA engineers and contractors recently engaged in structured brainstorming of potential options, Rahman said. In addition to several technical mitigation possibilities, team members also have suggested what Rahman considers a parallel necessary step – raising general awareness of the issue.

As Klein explained, the equation is simple. “We need to conserve helium because the largest supply in the world is being depleted faster than we are generating it,” he emphasized.

FULFILLING NASA’S EXPLORATION MISSION

Helium is widely abundant in the universe – second only to hydrogen – but on planet Earth, the supply is tight, a cause for concern to space engineers.

Helium is used in various fi elds, from the party balloon industry to the manufacturing of microchips, from arc welding to nuclear science and from laser surgery to deep-sea diving. It is particularly important to the American space industry.

“Most U.S. rocket engines are powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen,” explained Kerry Klein, operations division chief in the Engineering and Test Directorate at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center. “Helium is important in that process because it is a noble – or inert – gas that does not react with any other element. It also is the only gas that does not freeze in the presence of liquid hydrogen. So, it’s used to purge systems to make sure there are no fl ammable materials or gases present before introducing liquid hydrogen into them.”

Those properties make helium a critical part of the rocket engine testing process at Stennis. It is perfect for pressurizing the more volatile and reactive liquid hydrogen used in tests, and for the high-level purging that keeps rocket engine test systems at Stennis free from contamination.

Each year, Stennis uses more than 22 million scf (standard cubic feet) of helium, a total second only to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where helium is used in shuttle launches.

Helium is a valuable commodity at Stennis – and growing more so as the

Stennis focuses on helium conservationEditor’s note: This article originally appeared in the NASA John C. Stennis Space Center LAGNIAPPE,Volume 3, Issue 9 (September 2008). It is republished in its entirety with NASA’s permission for this issue of the CPIAC Bulletin.

worldwide availability of the element decreases with the rising industrial demand. Indeed, although plans are for Stennis to complete testing of space shuttle main engines for the remaining missions next summer, engineers at the facility already are gearing up to test the next generation of NASA

rocket engines – the J-2X and RS-68B. That engine will help power the Ares I and Ares V rockets, which are the centerpiece of the Constellation Program, NASA’s initiative to go back to the moon and possibly beyond.

This means Stennis’ need for helium surely will continue – and the looming shortage is a concern because there is no way to generate helium or a biosynthetic alternative to the element. The helium that exists on Earth has built up for billions of years from the decay of natural uranium and thorium. The decaying process is very slow,enough so that more than one scientist has described helium as “nonrenewable and irreplaceable.”

In the meantime, demand for helium grows – as does the price users must pay. Experts agree an end is coming

Robert Helveston, a Jacobs NTOG Group mechanical technician III, monitors a helium delivery to the high-pressure gas facility at Stennis. As the nation’s helium supply tightens, Stennis engineers are focusing on conservation.


Combustion Science & Engineering (CSE), Inc. is an en-gineering consulting and research and development company that specializes in a range of combustion and fi re related ar-eas including CFD modeling of turbo machinery components, reactive fl ow simulation of combustors, and fi re protection. CSE also has experimental facilities for small and large scale combustion and fi re experiments. CSE has been working on several projects funded by the U.S. Department of Defense for the U.S. Air Force. The current work was supported by a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) from the Offi ce of the Secretary of Defense to develop a kinetics modeling tool for the reactive fl ow simulation of scramjets using hydro-carbon fuels. Dr. Dan Risha of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) was the program manager of this project. CSE collaborated with Professor Suresh Menon of Georgia Tech and Professor Robert Pitz of Vanderbilt University on this work.

As part of this project, CSE has conducted laboratory scale kinetics experiments to measure the ignition delay time of jet fuels such as JP-7, JP-8, and synthetic jet fuel, S-8. These experimental data were used to validate the detailed surrogate kinetics mechanism for kerosene-type jet fuel, which was also developed by CSE (Gokulakrishnan et al., 2007). The detailed kinetics mechanism was used to generate ignition delay time data necessary for the optimization of reduced-order kinet-ics models developed in the current work. Professor Menon developed a scramjet test facility at Georgia Tech to perform fl ameholding experiments at Mach 2.5. Professor Pitz devel-oped Raman diagnostics techniques for species measurements in high speed fl ows at the scramjet test facility. These experi-mental data are useful for the model validation of the reactive fl ow simulation of scramjets.

Currently, hydrogen-fueled propulsion, because of its rapid burning and high mass-specifi c energy, is preferred for hyper-sonic air-breathing engines with fl ight Mach numbers of 10 or greater. Liquid hydrocarbon fuels become viable alternatives to hydrogen at Mach numbers below 10, and are desirable be-cause of their greater fuel densities and endothermic cooling capabilities. However, liquid hydrocarbon fuels pose an inher-ent diffi culty for fl ame holding under high speed supersonic fl ows due to their long ignition delay times and shorter stabil-ity window for blow-out relative to hydrogen. Thus, one of the diffi culties in the reactive fl ow simulation of scramjets is the development of a reduced order kinetics model which is capable of predicting the non-equilibrium, transient kinetics processes ,such as ignition and blow-out. As part of this proj-ect, CSE has developed optimization software, known as the

reduced kinetics model generator (rkmGen), for reaction rate parameter estimation and optimization of reduced order kinet-ics models for scramjet applications. The optimization proce-dure uses the ignition delay time as the target data to estimate the reaction rate parameters of a given reaction. This model-ing tool can be used to generate reduced kinetics mechanisms of different sizes (and hence different utility and accuracy) by calibrating against ignition delay time data for a given fuel. The rkmGen can also be used to optimize the reduced kinet-ics mechanism over a wide range of temperatures, pressures, and equivalence ratios. A stochastic optimization algorithm known as the Simulated Annealing was implemented in C++ and coupled with Cantera, a chemical kinetics software, to au-tomate the reduced kinetics mechanism generation process.

The oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels such as kerosene in-volve thousands of reactions and hundreds of species that would constitute a ‘detailed’ kinetics model. However, cou-pling of a large detailed kinetics model with transport equa-tions to solve for heat, mass, and momentum is computa-tionally expensive for CFD simulation of practical devices. The bulk of the computational time is spent on resolving the source term of the species that is defi ned by a set of stiff ODEs. Therefore, using a reduced order kinetics model will drastically reduce the simulation time. However, the utility of the reduced order model will be limited relative to a detailed kinetics model. The optimization software developed in this STTR can be used to tune reaction rate parameters so that the reduced order model will have high fi delity during CFD simulation. For example, a two-step kerosene reduced kinet-ics model can be given by:C

11H

22 + 11 O

2 => 11 CO + 11 H

2O (1)

CO + 0.5 O2 = CO

2 (2)

The reaction rate parameters for reaction (1) were estimat-ed using rkmGen by performing optimization over 1000K to 2400K temperature range and 0.1atm to 10atm pressure range. Figure 1 shows the model predictions of a two-step, kerosene reduced kinetics model predictions for ignition de-lay time compared with target data generated from a detailed kerosene mechanism.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, a two-step reduced kinetics model is suffi cient to predict stable fl ame properties. However, for CFD simulation of transient processes, such as fl ame blow-out, additional reaction steps are needed. For this purpose, CSE developed and implemented a slightly larger reaction scheme

Spotlight on SBIRs/SBTTs

By P. Gokulakrishnan, D. S. Viehe, M. S. Klassen, and R. J. RobyCombustion Science & Engineering, Inc., Columbia, Maryland

Maryland Company Develops Optimization Tool to Generate Reduced-order Kinetics Models for Scramjet Applications



for ethylene oxidation to predict blow-out conditions in a scramjet cavity fl ameholder. In a simplifi cation of the actual process, the fuel decomposition steps can be modeled as a single reaction via:C

2H

4 + O

2 => 2 CH

2O (3)

Formaldehyde is one of the intermediates of hydrocarbon oxidation. The subsequent formaldehyde oxidation was modeled with a detailed reaction scheme. The reaction rate parameters for reaction (3) can be es-timated from rkmGen for given conditions. The ethylene reduced order kinetics model that has 14 species and 44 reactions was implemented in a commercial CFD code to simulate the cavity fl ameholder experimen-tal conditions of Rasmussen et al. (2004) at Mach 2.0 using a RANS turbulence model. Also, this mechanism was used to simulate the AFRL Cell-18 scramjet test facility op-erating at Mach 2.2. Figure 2 shows the stable, lean blow-out (LBO) and rich blow-out (RBO) fuel fl ow rates predictions in the cavity Flameholder simulation, and compared with experi-mental values reported by Rasmussen et al. (2004) at Mach 2.0. Figure 3 show the instantaneous temperature profi le in scramjet combustor in AFRL Cell-18 predicted by detailed and reduced kinetics models.

The rkmGen is a valuable optimization tool to generate re-duced order kinetics models for reactive fl ow simulations of scramjets. Similarly, rkmGen can be used to generate reduced order kinetics models for sub-sonic combustion applications as well.

Works Cited

Gokulakrishnan, P., Gaines, G., Currano, J., Klassen, M. S., and Roby, R. J., “Experimental and Kinetic Modeling of Kerosene-Type Fuels at Gas Turbine Operating Conditions,” Journal of En-gineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 129, 655-663 (2007).

Rasmussen, C. C., Driscoll, J. F., Hsu, K. -Y., Donbar, J. M., Gru-ber, M. R., and Carter, C. D., “Stability Limits of Cavity-Stabilized Flames in Supersonic Flow,” in Proc. of the Combustion Institute, 30, 2825-2833 (2004).

Figure 1. Ignition delay time predictions of the reduced model generated by rkmGen (lines) compared with detailed model predictions (symbols).

Figure 2. Average cavity fl ame temperature as a function of fuel fl ow rate predicted by the CFD simulation compared with experimental data of Rasmussen et al. (2004) at Mach 2.

Figure 3. Instantaneous temperature profi le from the CFD simulation of Cell-18 scramjet combustor at Mach 2.2.

Maryland Company Develops Optimization Tool.... continued from page 20


Propulsion News Highlights

Success for Second H-IIB Rocket First Stage Firing Source: JAXA (4-22-09)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsub-ishi Heavy Industries (MHI) performed the second captive fi ring test for the fi rst stage fl ight model tank of the MHI H-IIB rocket on 22 April 2009 at the Tanegashima Space Center. This September, JAXA plans to launch its H-IIB Transfer Vehicle resupply space-craft to the International Space Station using the H-IIB rocket.

Full press release: http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/04/20090422_cft_e.html

Bigelow Wins Ruling Against Government Technology Export PracticesSource: The Economist (4-22-09)

For many years, parts of America’s space industry have com-plained that the rules governing the export of technology are too strict, resulting in rules that favor “lumbering dinosaurs such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing...rather than nimble but small ‘furry mammals’ that need every customer they can get.” Bigelow Aerospace, which is trying to develop infl atable space hotels, fi led a challenge to these rules in 2007 because it “disputed the government’s claim that foreign passengers travelling on a spaceship or space station were involved in a transfer of technology.” The courts ruled in favor of Bigelow’s position in February. Robert Dickman, executive director of the AIAA, says the decision appears to convey a new willingness to “move away from the very restrictive approach that has been in place for almost a decade.”

Full press release: http://www.economist.com/science/tm/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13525115

These excerpts have been taken from press releases approved for public release and reprinted with permission.

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32nd Rocket Test Group (RTG) Meets at NASA White Sands Test Facility

Hoping to share items of interest with the Propulsion Community?Send your news to [email protected].

The Rocket Test Group's 32nd Meeting occurred April 28th and 29th at the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) in New Mexico. The group of rocket test facilities operators and engineers met for their typical 2-day meeting of presentations and tours of the test facilities. Engineers from the industry, government, military, and universities met together to discuss topics of interest to the testing community, including new testing facilities and facility

features; designs and design approaches; problems with tests or testing practices; operational safety procedures; accidents and incidences; and lessons learned. Tours of the test stands included the new facilities under construction for the Orion Abort Flight Tests, located on the White Sands Missile Test Range.

As a special addition to this meeting, WSTF's Oxygen Group provided a 1.5-day training course on “Fire Hazards in Oxygen Systems” after the meeting. This class is offered through ASTM and is aimed at those who design oxygen systems. For more information on the RTG, please refer to www.rockettestgroup.org. RTG members at NASA WSTF’s 401 Test

Stand.

Government Agencies, along with academia and industry partners, gathered in Southern Maryland at

the fi rst National Capital Region Energetic Symposium (NCRES) to promote collaboration and communication with the end result to support the warfi ghter and sailor.

A diverse crowd of 184 people attended the fi rst NCRES held on 27-28 April, at the College of Southern Maryland in La Plata. Attendance represented 16 government organizations, 4 universities, and 10 industry partners.

The NCRES was co-hosted by the Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (IHDIV) along with the Energetics Technology Center and the University of Maryland Center for Energetic Concepts Development.

During the two day symposium, attendees heard over 40 presentations, with keynote addresses given by RADM Millard Firebaugh, USN (ret.), VADM Ronald Route, USN (ret.), and Mr. Stephen Mitchell, the Technical Director of the Naval Surface Warfare Center.

In his keynote address, Rear Admiral Firebaugh challenged the community to develop energetics developed specifi cally for unmanned vehicles. During this address he asked the energetics community to work together with the warfi ghters to "imagine new capabilities and try to discover how the science can serve those imaginings."

Presentations during the symposium addressed topics such as insensitive munitions, weaponizing unmanned vehicles, and new energetic materials for weapons systems. Presentations were given by researchers from IHDIV, Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Armament Research Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), the IHDIV (Earle Detachment) Packaging Handling Shipping Transportation Center, Univ. of Maryland, Penn. State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich (Germany).

During the event, Penn. State professor Dr. Kenneth Kuo was presented with a lifetime achievement award by NSWC Technical Director Stephen Mitchell. Dr.

Kuo was recognized for his achievements in developing energetic materials for gun propellants, and mentoring over 100 student researchers in the energetics fi eld during his career.

IHDIV develops, researches, produces, tests, and evaluates a wide variety of DoD systems operating on land, air and sea. IHDIV's largest area of expertise is the fi eld of energetic materials, which are in use in items from torpedoes to rockets to ejection seats.

The Professional Development Council (PDC) is a team of non-management individuals from IHDIV. They serve a term of nine months in which many aspects of their professional and personal lives are enriched. This is accomplished through leadership exercises, community service, a corporate project, social events, shadowing management activities and much more. This year the PDC’s corporate project was to hold a National Capital Region Energetics Symposium. The event was a huge success and was a great learning experience for these young professionals.

1st National Capital Region Energetics Symposium Held in Southern Maryland


Complete Your CollectionVolumes 1 and 2 of the JANNAF Journal are now available

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Technical areas covered in Volume 1include Solid Propellants and Combustion, Scramjet Propulsion, Gel Technology, Underwater Propulsion, and Explosive Performance and Enhanced Blast.

The latest edition of the Journal, Volume 2, was released in April, 2009. Technical areas covered in this volume include Solid Propulsion Technology, Scramjet Propulsion, Electric Propulsion, and Explosives Technology.


Calendar of JANNAF Meetings

JANNAF 43rd Combustion Subcommittee (CS)/31st Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee (APS)/

25th Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee (PSHS) Joint Meeting

Date: December 7-11, 2009Location: La Jolla, CA

57th JANNAF Propulsion Meeting/ 7th Modeling and Simulation /

5th Liquid Propulsion / 4th Spacecraft Propulsion Joint Subcommittee Meeting

Dates and Location: To be determined

For additional information on the above JANNAF meetings, contact CPIAC Meeting Planner Pat Szybist at 410-992-7302, ext. 215, or or by e-mail to [email protected].

Visit the JANNAF Web site at www.jannaf.org for meeting updates.

Policy on Non-Government Attendees at JANNAF Meetings. Attendance at JANNAF meetings for non-government employees is restricted to U.S. citizens only and whose organizations are 1) registered with the Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) AND 2) have a government contract registered with the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). If the government contract is not registered with DTIC, the attendee’s registration form can be certifi ed by a sponsoring government offi cial from one of the participating JANNAF agencies. Additional information concerning registrations with DLIS and DTIC can be obtained by contacting DLIS at 1-800-352-3572 (www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/) or DTIC at 1-800-225-3842 (www.dtic.mil/dtic/registration/index.html).

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Propulsion Research Activities Abound at Auburn University · research associated with aircraft and rocket propulsion have ... electric, and nuclear propulsion technology. ... 2009