[Tech] Aerospike Rocket Flights

CRogers168 · 2004-04-20T03:21:51+00:00

Gentlemen:Check out the press release on the aerospike rocket flights on the NASA-Drydenweb site at: Photos of the aerospike and the rocket can be found at: can also go to the medium or large jpeg photo sections and zoom in andcheck out the aerospike in detail. Cesaroni Technology Incorporated did agreat job on the structural design and fabrication of the aerospike. Theaerospike retrofits onto an O5100 motor in place of the conventional conicalnozzle. BlackSky Research built the Optimal 168 rocket, and ran the launchoperations for the flights.The aerospike is a centered Prandtl-Meyer all-external expansion design. Itdelivered 97% of ideal efficiency in ground test (exceeding historicalRocketdyne data), and theoretically would deliver the same high efficiency fromsea level to vacuum flight conditions.The rocket flights were to demonstrate operation of the aerospike in flight,and to measure installation effects compared to the uninstalled ground staticfirings. CFD was run not only for the aerospike hot gas flowfield, but for thecombined rocket and aerospike plume flowfield.This is the most highly instrumented high power/experimental rocket ever flown. In addition to highly accurate accelerometers and pitch, yaw, and roll ratesensors, the rocket used a conic nosecone with a built-in Flush Air Data System(FADS) (like a pitot tube), calibrated with CFD and cone pressure tables. Thiswas the first inflight direct aerodynamic measurement of angle of attack on amodel, high power, or experimental/amateur rocket.An article for High Power Rocketry is in work, JANAAF and AIAA papers and techarticles in High Power Rocketry will follow.Chuck RogersCo-Principal InvestigatorE-Mail:

Apr 20, 2004 24 Replies

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Jerry Irvine 22 years ago

I can see the NASA spec tech report now on that component! A 50 page manual on its specs and usage and safety protocols.

For a Peep!!

Jerry

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David Erbas-White 22 years ago

I can't wait to see the MSDS for this one!

David Erbas-White

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Jerry Irvine 22 years ago

It would certainly contain more carcinogens than dihydrogen monoxide. But it would have a lower indidence of mass property damage and death.

Jerry

Peep!

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Bob Kaplow 22 years ago

year old Peeps!

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

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John Stein 22 years ago

In the proper envoronment...Peeps don't last that long. :-)

John

formatting link

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