(U) Component Development

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) The objective of this area is to develop components that do not use high cost, unique materials thus ensuring the sustainability of future ballistic missile systems and significantly reducing the cost of these systems.  This area is also exploring ways to reduce the cost and weight of the motorÔs inert components such as the nozzle and case.  Improvements in the weight and capability of these components is necessary to offset potential impacts in the propellant area ensuring the required system level performance is maintained.

(U) The technologies in this subthrust are currently divided into three areas: (1) Propellant Management Devices, (2) Liquid Engine Combustion & Energy Conversion Devices, and (3) Solid Motor Components.

Description: (U)
(U) In Propellant Management Devices, testing to evaluate the use of hydrostatic bearings in hydrogen turbopumps will start in FY98.  Hydrostatic bearings will allow reduced part count, lighter weight and more reliable, turbopumps.  The durable coating effort that supports the hydrostatic bearing work has successfully applied diamond film to bearing materials that will be evaluated in the bearing test rig at Phillips Laboratory's Area 1-52.  This effort supports the following turbopump project as well as a Technology Reinvestment Program with Carrier Air-conditioning to apply the bearings to new systems.

(U) The Advanced Liquid Hydrogen Turbopump has completed the preliminary design review.  This new design incorporates hydrostatic bearings, and reduces the number of  components to approximately 24 from over 150.   Reducing parts count with simpler turbomachinery designs will greatly contribute to increased engine reliability and decreased maintenance and fabrication costs. A full scale pump will be fabricated and tested to verify the design.

(U) For Combustion and Energy conversion Devices, an ongoing project is the Advanced Expander Cycle Thrust Chamber Assembly.  Possibly the highest leverage near term propulsion technology is associated with the upper stage.  This technology applies to any launch vehicle, existing or planned.  Reliable high performance is the primary driver for upper stages.  This project addresses the limitation of existing cryogenic expander cycle upper stage engines  in the amount of heat absorbed into the coolant per unit length of combustion chamber and nozzle.  This limits the chamber pressure and ultimately the performance of the propulsion system. The new thrust chamber assembly will have over twice the chamber pressure and thrust of the current RL-10 in an envelope of the same size.

User Impact: (U)
(U) None.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Concept/Technology.
	(U) IOC: 02/1996 (2QFY1996).

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) None.

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Boost & Orbit Transfer Tech

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) TECHNOLOGY- RDT&E.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
15 July 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)