Course Description
This class focuses on chemical rocket propulsion systems for launch, orbital, and
interplanetary flight. It studies the modeling of solid, liquid-bipropellant, and hybrid rocket
engines. Thermochemistry, prediction of specific impulse, and nozzle flows including real
gas and kinetic effects will also be covered. Other topics to be covered include structural
constraints, propellant feed systems, turbopumps, and combustion processes in solid,
liquid, and hybrid rockets (2005).
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez
Departments
Aeronautics and Astronautics
MIT
Readings
Along with the complete set of lecture notes, the following readings were assigned in the
class:
Sutton, George, and Oscar Biblarz. Rocket Propulsion Elements. New York, NY: Wiley-
Interscience, 2000. ISBN: 0471326429.
Hill, Philip and Carl Peterson. Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991. ISBN: 0201146592.
Rohsenow, Warren, James Hartnett, and Young Cho. Handbook of Heat Transfer. New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1998. ISBN: 0070535558.
McAdams, William Henry. Heat Transmission. Melbourne, FL: Krieger Publishing, 1985,
pp. 82-97. ISBN: 0898748763.
Hagemann, Gerald, Hans Immich, Thong Van Nguyen, and Gennady Dumnov. “Advanced
Rocket Nozzles.” Journal of Propulsion and Power 14, no. 5 (September-October 1998).
Sirignano, William. “Current Status of Spray Combustion Modelling.” 39th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE
Joint Propulsion Conference, Huntsville, Alabama, July 20-23 2003.
, 16.512, Rocket Propulsion
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez
Lecture 1: Introduction
Types of Rockets (Engines)
- Depending on gas acceleration mechanism/force on vehicle mechanism.
“Thermal” Gas pushes directly on walls by P (pressure) forces
Nozzle accelerates gas by P forces
(most large rockets, chem, nuclear, some electric…)
JG
Electrostatic Ions accelerated by E field
(a) Electrostatic force (push) on electrodes
(Ion engines) G
(b) Force (push) on magnetic coils through gas j
(Hall thrusters)
G JG
Electromagnetic Gas accelerated by j × B forces
Force (push) on coils or conductors
(MPD thrusters, PPT’s)
16.512 concentrates on Thermal
- Depending on energy source:
Solid Propellant
Chemical (always “thermal”) Liquid Propellant Monopropellant
Bipropellant
Hybrid
Nuclear (Thermal)
Nuclear (Electric) can be Thermal, ES or EM
Solar (Thermal)
Solar (Electric) can be Thermal, ES or EM
16.512 deals mostly with Chemical.
- Depending on Thrust level (per unit mass)
- High thrust ( ≥ 1g) for launch, fast space maneuvering (16.512)
- Low thrust (10-5 – 10-2 g) for efficient in-space maneuvers (16.522)
16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 1
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 1 of 3
,Performance Measures
Specific Impulse
Isp =
F
mg ( F
or c =
m )
(sec) (m/sec)
Dominant for chem. Rockets, range 200-500 sec
Trade-off vs. mass for EP, range 500-6000 sec
Thermal Efficiency ηth = Jet kinetic power
Thermal input power
(Thermal Rockets)
Also for electrical thrusters
Power to jet
η =
Input electrical power
~ 30-80 %
ηth
Very close to 100% in chem. (non-issue) important in solar thermal (60-80%)
electrothermal, etc.
Thrust/weight F/W
Very large ~ (20-100) for Chem.
Medium (5-20) for Nuclear
Very low (~10-3) for (Solar, EP, power limited)
Others (design selection factors)
- “Life”, most meaningful in total impulse capacity
- Re-start capability
- Throttleability
- Dispersion
- Cost
Rocket Selection Guide (by mission)
16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 1
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 2 of 3
, 1) Non-Space missions Rocket Type
Atmospheric/Ionospheric Sounding Solid Propellant, 1-4 stages
Tactical Missile Solid Prop., 1-2 stages
Medium-Long Range Missiles Solid or Liquid Prop., 2-3
stages (very high
acceleration)
2) Launch to space Solid, liquid or combinations,
2-4 stages (2-4g)
Possible: hybrid, 2-4 stages
3) Impulsive ∆V in space Small Solid Prop. (Apogee
(time-critical maneuvers, kick, etc)
energy change from elliptic orbits, Bi-propellant (storable)
plane change from elliptic orbits, liquids, Monopropellant
non-fuel-limited situations...) (storable) liquids,
∆V ≤ 1000 m/s Future: Nuclear thermal
4) Low-Thrust ∆V in space
(Mass-limited missions ∆V ≥ 2000 m/s Solar-electric systems:
non time-critical missions, Arcjets (a bit faster, less Isp)
small, continuous orbit corrections Hall, Ion (slower, higher Isp)
near-circular orbits...) PPT (precision maneuvers)
Nuclear-electric systems
Direct solar-thermal
16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 1
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 3 of 3
This class focuses on chemical rocket propulsion systems for launch, orbital, and
interplanetary flight. It studies the modeling of solid, liquid-bipropellant, and hybrid rocket
engines. Thermochemistry, prediction of specific impulse, and nozzle flows including real
gas and kinetic effects will also be covered. Other topics to be covered include structural
constraints, propellant feed systems, turbopumps, and combustion processes in solid,
liquid, and hybrid rockets (2005).
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez
Departments
Aeronautics and Astronautics
MIT
Readings
Along with the complete set of lecture notes, the following readings were assigned in the
class:
Sutton, George, and Oscar Biblarz. Rocket Propulsion Elements. New York, NY: Wiley-
Interscience, 2000. ISBN: 0471326429.
Hill, Philip and Carl Peterson. Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991. ISBN: 0201146592.
Rohsenow, Warren, James Hartnett, and Young Cho. Handbook of Heat Transfer. New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1998. ISBN: 0070535558.
McAdams, William Henry. Heat Transmission. Melbourne, FL: Krieger Publishing, 1985,
pp. 82-97. ISBN: 0898748763.
Hagemann, Gerald, Hans Immich, Thong Van Nguyen, and Gennady Dumnov. “Advanced
Rocket Nozzles.” Journal of Propulsion and Power 14, no. 5 (September-October 1998).
Sirignano, William. “Current Status of Spray Combustion Modelling.” 39th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE
Joint Propulsion Conference, Huntsville, Alabama, July 20-23 2003.
, 16.512, Rocket Propulsion
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez
Lecture 1: Introduction
Types of Rockets (Engines)
- Depending on gas acceleration mechanism/force on vehicle mechanism.
“Thermal” Gas pushes directly on walls by P (pressure) forces
Nozzle accelerates gas by P forces
(most large rockets, chem, nuclear, some electric…)
JG
Electrostatic Ions accelerated by E field
(a) Electrostatic force (push) on electrodes
(Ion engines) G
(b) Force (push) on magnetic coils through gas j
(Hall thrusters)
G JG
Electromagnetic Gas accelerated by j × B forces
Force (push) on coils or conductors
(MPD thrusters, PPT’s)
16.512 concentrates on Thermal
- Depending on energy source:
Solid Propellant
Chemical (always “thermal”) Liquid Propellant Monopropellant
Bipropellant
Hybrid
Nuclear (Thermal)
Nuclear (Electric) can be Thermal, ES or EM
Solar (Thermal)
Solar (Electric) can be Thermal, ES or EM
16.512 deals mostly with Chemical.
- Depending on Thrust level (per unit mass)
- High thrust ( ≥ 1g) for launch, fast space maneuvering (16.512)
- Low thrust (10-5 – 10-2 g) for efficient in-space maneuvers (16.522)
16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 1
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 1 of 3
,Performance Measures
Specific Impulse
Isp =
F
mg ( F
or c =
m )
(sec) (m/sec)
Dominant for chem. Rockets, range 200-500 sec
Trade-off vs. mass for EP, range 500-6000 sec
Thermal Efficiency ηth = Jet kinetic power
Thermal input power
(Thermal Rockets)
Also for electrical thrusters
Power to jet
η =
Input electrical power
~ 30-80 %
ηth
Very close to 100% in chem. (non-issue) important in solar thermal (60-80%)
electrothermal, etc.
Thrust/weight F/W
Very large ~ (20-100) for Chem.
Medium (5-20) for Nuclear
Very low (~10-3) for (Solar, EP, power limited)
Others (design selection factors)
- “Life”, most meaningful in total impulse capacity
- Re-start capability
- Throttleability
- Dispersion
- Cost
Rocket Selection Guide (by mission)
16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 1
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 2 of 3
, 1) Non-Space missions Rocket Type
Atmospheric/Ionospheric Sounding Solid Propellant, 1-4 stages
Tactical Missile Solid Prop., 1-2 stages
Medium-Long Range Missiles Solid or Liquid Prop., 2-3
stages (very high
acceleration)
2) Launch to space Solid, liquid or combinations,
2-4 stages (2-4g)
Possible: hybrid, 2-4 stages
3) Impulsive ∆V in space Small Solid Prop. (Apogee
(time-critical maneuvers, kick, etc)
energy change from elliptic orbits, Bi-propellant (storable)
plane change from elliptic orbits, liquids, Monopropellant
non-fuel-limited situations...) (storable) liquids,
∆V ≤ 1000 m/s Future: Nuclear thermal
4) Low-Thrust ∆V in space
(Mass-limited missions ∆V ≥ 2000 m/s Solar-electric systems:
non time-critical missions, Arcjets (a bit faster, less Isp)
small, continuous orbit corrections Hall, Ion (slower, higher Isp)
near-circular orbits...) PPT (precision maneuvers)
Nuclear-electric systems
Direct solar-thermal
16.512, Rocket Propulsion Lecture 1
Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez Page 3 of 3
