Design and Fabrication of Small H2/O2 Engines

Hydrogen/oxygen propulsion systems with thrust levels in the order of 1500 pounds are being studied for future space vehicle auxiliary propulsion systems. Because of the 10-year reusable requirement for these types of missions, thrust chamber designs must provide long life capability.

Candidate thrust chamber designs include channel wall, tubular or film-cooled single wall, with copper alloy for the chamber walls and nickel alloy or stainless steel for nozzle extensions. Injector designs that maximize thrust chamber performance while providing compatible heat transfer characteristics are necessary. Concentric tube and impinging sheet concepts of propellant mixing are being studied. Igniter designs including catalytic, spark, and “autoignition” types are under investigation. Low leakage and fast response propellant valves are also required to meet the APS requirements.