Flight Demonstration of Detonation Engine System Using Sounding Rocket S-520-31: Performance of Pulse Detonation Engine

Abstract

A research team of Nagoya University, Keio University, Muroran Institute of Technology, and Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) at Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully conducted a space demonstration of the detonation engine system (DES) using the S-520-31 sounding rocket of JAXA/ISAS. This paper presents the results of an S-shaped pulse detonation engine (PDE) flight test. The aim of the flight is to confirm that the PDE and its system operate in space, to confirm the reproducibility of the PDE cycle, and to despin the sounding around its axis. The PDE and its system successfully operated for 14 cycles in space. The experimental plateau pressure was 80 ± 3 % of the calculated plateau pressure, suggesting that detonation occurred in 14 cycles. Pressure profile of the 14 cycles was highly reproduced as well. The average angular acceleration change of PDE operation, mixture supply, and oxygen supply were determined using gaussian distribution. The results suggested that the PDE despinned the sounding rocket by the thrust from detonation combustion, which was in good agreement with a quasi-steady-state model with an accuracy of 101 ± 15%.