Computational analyses of tail fin configurations for a sounding rocket

Missiles and sounding rockets usually deviate from the trajectory due to unstable roll. Fins with cant angles are generally used to provide a rolling moment in sounding rockets and missiles to minimize the instability. Inducing a rolling moment also leads to an increase in the rocket motor’s power consumption due to the rise in drag, so inducing an optimal rolling moment with a minimal increase in drag is a crucial design criterion. It is crucial to maintain the similarity parameters while testing a scaled-down model in a wind tunnel. Therefore, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is more efficient than extensive wind tunnel tests. In this paper, three-dimensional, incompressible simulations were performed on different models of sounding rockets using commercial CFD package fluent. The simulations were performed with the help of $$k-\epsilon $$ k - ϵ standard turbulence model. The results obtained were tabulated and graphically represented, and the trends of aerodynamic coefficients like $$C_{\text {d}}$$ C d and $$C_{\text {m}}$$ C m were analyzed. The purpose of this study is to analyze the dependency of aerodynamic coefficients on different fin configurations with emphasis on the cant angle. This study will be helpful to researchers designing a sounding rocket and help in maximizing apogee. The experimental and computational results show a favourable comparison. The results will show a particular configuration of fin having greater $$C_{\text {m}}/C_{\text {d}}$$ C m / C d which yields in a greater rolling moment and least amount of drag.

Development of Green Storable Hybrid Rocket Propulsion Technology Using 98% Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidizer

This paper presents the development of indigenous hybrid rocket technology, using 98% hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer. Consecutive steps are presented, which started with interest in hydrogen peroxide and the development of technology to obtain High Test Peroxide, finally allowing concentrations of up to 99.99% to be obtained in-house. Hydrogen peroxide of 98% concentration (mass-wise) was selected as the workhorse for further space propulsion and space transportation developments. Over the course nearly 10 years of the technology’s evolution, the Lukasiewicz Research Network—Institute of Aviation completed hundreds of subscale hybrid rocket motor and component tests. In 2017, the Institute presented the first vehicle in the world to have demonstrated in-flight utilization for 98% hydrogen peroxide. This was achieved by the ILR-33 AMBER suborbital rocket, which utilizes a hybrid rocket propulsion as the main stage. Since then, three successful consecutive flights of the vehicle have been performed, and flights to the Von Karman Line are planned. The hybrid rocket technology developments are described. Advances in hybrid fuel technology are shown, including the testing of fuel grains. Theoretical studies and sizing of hybrid propulsion systems for spacecraft, sounding rockets and small launch vehicles have been performed, and planned further developments are discussed.

Ground-truth Reference Dataset of 1001 Rocket Launches for Space Missions and their Infrasonic Signatures

<p>The infrasound technique is applied to monitor atmospheric explosions in the context of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and, among other purposes, to characterize large meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere. Anyhow, for both types of sources, the exact location and time are initially unknown and sometimes difficult to precisely estimate. In contrast, rocket launches are well-defined ground-truth events generating strong infrasonic signatures. In this study, we analyse infrasound signatures of 1001 rocket launches for space missions recorded at stations of the International Monitoring System between 2009 and mid-2020. We include all surface- or ocean-based launches within this period with known launch time, location, rocket type, and mission name; whereas launches of sounding rockets and ballistic missiles for scientific and military purposes, respectively, are excluded from our study. We characterize the infrasonic signatures of over 70 different types of rockets launched at 27 different globally distributed spaceports and are able to identify infrasound signatures from up to 73% of the launches considered. We use this unique dataset to estimate the global detectability of such events and to characterize rocket infrasound. We provide the results as a DOI-assigned ground-truth reference dataset for supporting its further use in geophysical and atmospheric research.</p>

PMWE creation mechanism inferred from sounding rocket measurements

<p>A first sounding rocket campaign dedicated to investigate the creation mechanism of Polar Mesosphere Winter Echoes (PMWE) was conducted in April 2018 from the north Norwegian Andøya Space Center (69°N, 16°E). Two instrumented sounding rockets were launched on 13th and 18th of April under PMWE and no-PMWE conditions, respectively.</p><p>In this paper we give a brief summary of our current knowledge of PMWE and an overview of the PMWE sounding rocket mission. We describe and discuss some results of combined in situ and ground-based measurements which allow <span>to</span> <span>check</span> the existing PMWE theories.</p><p>Our measurements clearly show that the coherent structures in refractive index variations (forming PMWE) are accompanied by neutral air turbulence, which is reflected in small-scale structures (down to some meters) of neutral and electron density. We show that the behavior of the structures under investigation together with the atmospheric background is consistent with the interpretation, that PMWE were created by turbulence. Rocket measurements ultimately show that polar winter mesosphere is abounded with meteor smoke particles (MSP) and intermittent turbulent layers. Furthermore, it becomes clear that charged Meteor Smoke Particles (MSP) and background electron density can only enhance SNR, while turbulence is a prerequisite for their formation.</p>