A progress report on the Advanced Reusable Technologies Project

Abstract

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has formed the Advanced Space Transportation Program (ASTP) at the Marshall Space Flight Center to address advanced space transportation technologies. The main focus of the ASTP Office is directed to those technologies that will be needed to reduce the cost of both Earth-toorbit and in-space transportation. The current focus of the advanced reusable technologies (ART) Project is the development of those critical technologies required to enable a rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) engine and ultimately an RBCC-based reusable launch vehicle. Additional effort is also being expended to address those associated technologies that would be required to not only support an RBCC-based vehicle but other advanced reusable transportation systems as well. This paper will describe the work that has been performed since the last project status was presented to the 1997 Joint Propulsion Conference.' Currently, NASA and its industry partners are performing ground testing of hydrogen-fueled rocketbased combined-cycle flowpaths. Successful ramjet and scramjet testing at Mach 6 and scramjet testing at Mach 8 have been performed. Cold flow mixing tests have also been successfully performed as have inlet operability tests. Additional testing of RBCC flowpaths at air augmented rocket and rocket only modes is underway. Additional work will be performed on technologies that will support an RBCC-powered launch vehicle and will be focused in the following areas: structures and materials; avionics and operations; propulsion turbomachinery; and thermal protection systems. Chief Engineer, Advanced Reusable Technologies Project, NASA/ MSFC, Senior Member AIAA Project Manager, Advanced Reusable Technologies Project, NASA/MSFC, Member AIAA Copyright © 1998 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. No copyright is asserted in the United States under Title 17, U.S. Code. The U.S. Government has a royalty-free license to exercise all rights under the copyright claimed herein for Governmental Purposes. All other rights are reserved by the copyright owner. Introduction The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Advanced Space Transportation Program (ASTP), part of the Space Transportation Program (STP) Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), is focusing on those technologies that will be needed to reduce the cost of both Earth-to-orbit and in-space transportation. NASA's strategy is to advance innovative space transportation technology development through the X-33, X-34, ASTP, and the Future-X programs to enable reduction of these costs. The ASTP consists of three major technology areas: focused, core, and research technologies. The ART project currently manages the work that is covered under NASA Research Announcements 8-16 and 8-21. The project's primary focus over the last 2 years has been on rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) technology development activities awarded under NRA 8-16. The current aerospace and academic organizations listed in Figure 1 are performing testing and analysis supporting the RBCC propulsion activities. The engine contractors, Aerojet, Pratt & Whitney, and Rocketdyne are currently either testing or preparing to test their RBCC engine flowpaths. Direct connect testing has been performed at Mach 6 flight conditions in both ramjet and scramjet modes and at Mach 8 flight conditions in the scramjet mode. Testing has also been performed at sealevel static conditions and at Mach 3.4 ramjet conditions.