Solid Rocket Motor Design for a High Altitude Composite Rocket

Abstract

The Rocket Team at The Ohio State University has initiated project Prometheus in an attempt to break an al titude of 38,000 meters. As part of the project, the team intends to design, construct, and test a large solid propellant rocket motor. Preliminary design efforts produced the size and performance constrains for the motor. Steel, titanium, and aluminum were examined for use as the motor casing. Aluminum 6061 alloy was chosen as the casing material. A finite element analysis was performed to ensure the structural integrity of the casing. A combination of hydroxyl -terminated polybutadiene, ammonium perc hlorate, and aluminum in an internal burning tube configuration will comprise the propellant grain. An analysis of the performance characteristics of the propellant was performed to optimize the grain design. The solid rocket motor will be tested to veri fy the theoretical performance. Nomenclature Case OD = outer diameter of the motor casing Case TH = thickness of the motor casing g = acceleration due to gravity Grain ID = inner diameter of propellant grain Grain L = length of propellant grain Grain OD = out er diameter of propellant grain Grain VOL = volume of propellant grain ISP = specific impulse p m = propellant mass flow rate B r = propellant burn rate B t = burn time � = th rust eff u = effective velocity