small innovative launcher for europe - achievement …...• single stage hybrid rocket engine •...

IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |1

Small Innovative Launcher for Europe - Achievement of the H2020 project SMILE

B.A. Oving, Netherlands Aerospace Centre NLR

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 687242.


• SMall Innovative Launcher for Europe – SMILE in EU Horizon 2020 framework programme http://www.small-launcher.eu

• 14 companies & institutes from 8 European countries, 4 M€ grant, Jan 2016 – Dec 2018

• Objectives: 1. business development

2. launcher & ground segment design

3. demonstration of critical technology

Project


http://www.small-launcher.eu/




• Market assessment of satellites up to 500 kg from

Euroconsult July 2017

• Mega-constellations (OneWeb, SpaceX) distort picture

• Small satellites (1-50 kg) are a multi-billion dollar market

• Mainly in US

• Launch service

• Both CubeSats and micro-satellites -> flexible deployer

• Reliable launch rate -> efficient, parallelised organisation

• Logistics -> easy transport of payload and stages

• Price -> cost-effective launcher and launch site

Business Development



• Two concept configurations by design team led by NLR • Three-stage hybrid: high TRL, time-to-market

• Three-stage liquid: more payload, recovery option

• Design drivers • Unitary stage diameter (production, manufacturing)

• Length of hybrid stages driven by unitary motor (technology)

• Length of stages limited by container length (logistics)

• Pump-fed versus pressure-fed (cost vs. mass)

• Maximum acceleration (‘smooth ride’)

• Identical separation mechanisms (commonality)

• Intelligence in upper stage (simplicity)

• Margins for losses and uncertainties (realism)

Launcher Design


WP2

Engines design

(Nammo, DLR, WEPA)

WP3

Structures design

(Heron, NLR, ISIS, Tecnalia)

WP4

Avionics design

(NLR, TERMA, DLR)

WP1

Initial sizing stages

(NLR)

Check payload capacity

Flight trajectory data

(INCAS)

WP1

Update launcher mass

breakdown

(NLR)

Update payload capacity

Sensitivity analysis

(INCAS)


• Aerodynamics and trajectory optimization by INCAS • Three degrees-of-freedom

simulator

• Drag coefficient as function of Mach number

• Direct ascent to orbit

• Trajectory constraints

• Genetic algorithm to maximize payload mass

Launcher Sizing



• Hybrid: 70 kg @ 600 km, 80 kg @ 500 km

• Liquid: 115 kg @ 600 km, 130 kg @ 500 km

Payload Capacity Analysis


Payload capacity vs SSO altitude three-stage hybrid Payload capacity vs SSO altitude three-stage liquid


• Main characteristics 1. H2O2 (87.5%) as liquid oxidizer and HTPB as solid fuel

2. Self ignition increase engine start reliability and reproducibility

3. Green life cycle and exhaust properties

4. Inert solid fuel and non-cryogenic oxidizer

5. Low development and operational cost

• Design based on Unitary Motor 1 by Nammo • Thrust: 30 kN, burn-time: 35 s

• Upgrade of the design for specificities of the launcher (higher thrust/ longer burn-time)

Hybrid Engine


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |10

• Main characteristics • Transpiration-cooled ceramic C/C SiC combustion chamber

• Thermo-shock resistant and thermal-cycling ability,

• Damage tolerant and oxidation resistant

• Light-weight with high specific strength at elevated temperatures

• Low thermal expansion

• Design based on Unitary Motor by DLR Stuttgart • Thrust per engine 7.7 kN, burn-time 120 s

• First stage faceted aerospike with thrust differential vectoring

• Test campaigns at PLD Space: • July 2017: Cold firing of injector and igniter

• October 2017: Hot firing test

• May 2018: Hot firing tests with ceramic combustion chamber

Liquid Engine


Printed by 3D Systems

IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |12

• Feed-system trade-off • Turbo-pumps for first stages and hybrid second stage

• Designed by WEPA-Technologies • Commonality and simplicity • Single drive shaft • Single rotor turbine preferred • Driven by gas-generator

Turbo-pumps


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |13

• Finite element analyses by Heron Engineering • Metal versus composites trade-off

• Carbon composite honeycomb sandwich

• Common stage and fairing separation systems (clamp band and plungers)

• Engine thrust frames (conical and trusses)

• Tanks (separate and integrated)

Structural Design


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |14

• MicroSatellite Separation System (M3S) by ISIS • Flexible and adaptable • Standard mechanical interface • Low cost, modular, safe in use • Minimum time and tools for mating operations • Single qualification for multiple use cases

• Clamp points with identical HDRM • Centralized actuator

Payload Deployment


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |15

• Material selection by NLR, Airborne, Tecnalia • Out-of-autoclave prepregs for composites

• Cork for thermal protection

• Production process • Automated Tape Laying for cylinders and cones

• Automated Fiber Placement for fairing

Automated Manufacturing


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |16

• Architecture by NLR, ISIS, Terma

• Functional breakdown

• COTS where possible

• Interfaces, locations, link budgets

Avionics


TVC assemblyIncluding high power battery

(TVC)

Propellant/Oxidizer tank assembly

Pressurant tank assembly

Turbo pump assembly

RCS actuators assembly(RCSAA)

GNSS receiver(GNSS)

Uplink downlink radio(s)(COM)

U/D antenna(s)(COMANT)

GNSS antenna(s)(GNSSANT)

IMU assembly(IMU)

Payload deployment interface board (PDI)

Master avionics battery and power conditioning assembly

(PCU)

Upper stage power supply battery and power conditioning (PCU)

Flight termination assembly(FTSA) Locally powered

Stage & fairing separation interface board (SEP,FJS)

TVC IF system (TVC)

Engine control unit

(ECU)

RCS control & TM IF system (RCS)

Flight termination IF system

Upper stage systems Upper stage avionics module

Upper stage external elements

Upper composite systems

Stage II-III separation plane

GNC & flight programme computer (OBC)

Star tracker(s) Sun sensor(s)

(STR/SUN)

FTS antenna(FTSANT)

Flight Termination System(FTS) Locally powered

Data acquisition subsystem (DAQ)

Healt monitoring sensors(HMS)

Fairing jettisoning system(FJS)

Payload (PL)

Other sensors like camera(AUX)

Payload deployment systems (PDS)

IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |17

• Experiment by NLR • Sensonor STIM300 MEMS IMU • Septentrio AsteRx4 • Parallella SBC

• Payload on STRATOS III by DARE • Single stage hybrid rocket engine • Thrust 15 kN, burn-time 28 s • Target altitude 80 km • Launch planned November 2017

Avionics Box


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |18

• Simulation-based design by NLR

• Reuse throughout life cycle

• Matlab/Simulink 6DOF simulator

• Export to EuroSim via MOSAIC

• Hardware-in-the-loop

• Prototype on-board software on target platform by Terma

EGSE Design


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |19

• Recovery of first stage (optional)

1. Retro-propulsion with air bags as landing system

2. Parachutes with air bed of mid-air capture by helicopter

• De-orbit of upper stage

1. Two controlled manoeuvres (Hohmann transfer)

2. Accurate timing of final burn for safe impact zone

Recovery & Deorbit Analyses


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |22

• Detailed Design • Aerodynamics (CFD analyses, also for plume interaction)

• Liquid and hybrid engines

• Structures (CAD models)

• Re-iterate bottom-up cost estimation

• Testing • Liquid engine firing campaigns

• Wind tunnel test campaign

• Prototyping • Structures prototype with ATL

• Payload deployer M3S prototype

• Avionics experiment launch

• EGSE hardware-in-the-loop demonstration

• Business development plan • Technology roadmap

Next Steps


IAC-17-D2.7.5, September 2017 |23

Thank you for your attention

End With A


small innovative launcher for europe - achievement …...• single stage hybrid rocket engine •...

Documents