Hybrid Rocket ProjectHybrid Rocket Project

Joel BeilkeJoel Beilke University of University of

Minnesota DuluthMinnesota Duluth

Industrial EngineeringIndustrial Engineering

Fall Semester 2004Fall Semester 2004

LAST ONE!LAST ONE!

Hybrid Rocket History• Invented in the 1930s

– Europe– United States

• Never caught on– Early not enough research– Established Traditional rockets

• Renewed interests today– Safety– Cost

Hybrid Rocket History

Since 2001 NASA investing in Hybrids

Hybrid Rocket HistorySpaceShipOne Wins $10m X-Prize

Hybrid Rocket HistoryOn October 4, 2004, SpaceShipOne rocketed into history, became the first private manned spacecraft to exceed an

altitude of 328,000 feet twice within the span of a 14 day period, thus claiming the ten million dollar Ansari X-Prize.

www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/041004_spaceshipone_x-prize_flight_2.html

What is a Hybrid Rocket?

• Merging of two technologies

• Solid Fuel Grain – Safe– inexpensive

• Liquid Oxidizer– N2O is Safe - not pure O2

– Less cost in handling

What is a Hybrid Rocket?

• Diagram of components

http://www.hawkfeather.com/rockets/hybrid_tutorial.html

Hybrid Rocket Benefits

• Safe– Non-explosive– Unmixed oxidizer and fuel

• Lower Cost– Solid fuel is cheaper (paraffin wax, rubber)

– N2O is easier to handle

Hybrid Rocket Benefits

• Can be throttled– During flight– Shut-down and restarted

• Faster turnaround– Boosters are rechargeable– Vehicle components are simplified

UMD Hybrid Rocket Project

• Build a capable test stand – Computer controlled– Capable of 3” dia x 3’ long rocket– Capable 300lb of thrust– Able to conduct creditable research

• Allow further research – Student projects– ME lab usage

Hybrid Rocket Test Stand

Frame and test bed design

Hybrid Rocket Test Instrumentation

• Analog and Digital I/O• Thrust • Pressure

tank, combustion,exhaust

• Temperature• Valve control• Safety and E-stop• Lift and light

Hybrid Rocket Software

• Think & Do® Live!™ – PC-based control software

– Motion control

– Flowchart logic for control

– Human Machine Interface

– DDE Dynamic Data Exchange

For Microsoft Windows Applications

Hybrid Rocket Software

Benefits:– Remote access Ethernet connection– Soft keys – custom screen and graphing– Dump to Excel– Lower cost vs. LabView – We now use it to run the router in 4235

Questions?Questions?

LAST ONE!LAST ONE!

More PicturesIn 1995, NASA and DARPA started the Hybrid Propulsion Demonstration Program (HPDP). Under this program, the world's largest hybrid engine was tested at NASA's Stennis Space Center August 13, 1999. It was 70 inches by 45 feet, and developed 250,000 pounds of thrust for 15 seconds http://www.hawkfeather.com/rockets/hybrids1.html

More Pictures

Fuel Grain

More Pictures

Nozzle and Fill Tube