The PERSEUS Student Launcher Project and Associated Hybrid Propulsion Activities

Abstract

This paper describes PERSEUS, a student very small launch vehicle project and associated student initiatives focused on hybrid pr opulsion. PERSEUS, led by the CNES (the French Space Agency), has three major objectiv es: to develop a very small launch vehicle, to serve as an educational tool and to act a research and innovation program. The intention of PERSEUS is to develop a launcher than can carry at least 10 kg to Low Earth Orbit with an altitude of 250 km. It is also inten ded, with respect to education, and research and innovation, to foster high-level training of yo ung engineers, to promote co-operation between universities, laboratories and companies and to arouse interest in launch vehicles. The programme is its first phase, focused on system design studies and preparatory work on key subsystems and technologies. CNES-led hybrid propulsion activities, involving ONERA and SUPAERO, are representative of the programme objectives and contribute to its first phase. Hybrid propulsion offers advantages for stu dent launcher projects: nitrous oxide, for example, is relatively safe, being non-toxic and no n-flammable, and is interesting for an upper stage in a self-pressurising propulsion syste m. These activities include the design, development and laboratory testing of hybrid propulsion system prototypes, the follow-on development of a 'flight' hybrid propulsion system for student experimental rockets and student launch vehicle design studies. The 'fligh t' hybrid propulsion system is expected to be tested in the context of a student experimental rocket campaign.