Aerospace Planes: Aerospace Planes: A New Technical Arena for A New Technical Arena for

the Homebuilderthe Homebuilder

EAA Oshkosh Airventure '99EAA Oshkosh Airventure '99

John A. BossardJohn A. Bossard

What Happened to Aerospace Development?What Happened to Aerospace Development?

Aviation Saw Continuous Increases in Speed and Aviation Saw Continuous Increases in Speed and Altitudes until WWIIAltitudes until WWII

Natural Evolution of Aerospace Planes for Orbital Natural Evolution of Aerospace Planes for Orbital Travel was curtailed by the Space RaceTravel was curtailed by the Space Race

Significant Consequences of the Aerospace Significant Consequences of the Aerospace Development Path are:Development Path are:

– Space Travel has left the Average Person BehindSpace Travel has left the Average Person Behind– MannedManned Spaceflight remains exceedingly limited Spaceflight remains exceedingly limited– If we want to get into space, we’ll have to do it ourselvesIf we want to get into space, we’ll have to do it ourselves

Aerospace Development Path Aerospace Development Path Characterized by Discontinuous ChangesCharacterized by Discontinuous Changes

10

100

1000

10000

100000

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020

year

spee

d (m

ph)

Aerospace

Military Aviation

General/Commercial Aviation

Homebuilt Aerospace

Planes

Homebuilt Aerospace Planes:Homebuilt Aerospace Planes:A New Path for Aerospace DevelopmentA New Path for Aerospace Development

Homebuilt Aerospace Planes are AchievableHomebuilt Aerospace Planes are Achievable

Aerospace Planes = Airplanes + Rocket Aerospace Planes = Airplanes + Rocket EnginesEngines

Homebuilt Aerospace Plane Development Homebuilt Aerospace Plane Development SynopsisSynopsis

Homebuilt Aerospace Planes are Homebuilt Aerospace Planes are AchievableAchievable

Homebuilt Aerospace Planes are not ImpossibleHomebuilt Aerospace Planes are not Impossible– They should be considered as merely another aerospace They should be considered as merely another aerospace

design optimization problemdesign optimization problem– High Speed Aerospace Planes have already been flownHigh Speed Aerospace Planes have already been flown– Manned Orbital Space Transportation has already been Manned Orbital Space Transportation has already been

achievedachieved

A Huge Data base for Aerospace Planes Already ExistsA Huge Data base for Aerospace Planes Already Exists– AerothermodynamicsAerothermodynamics– MaterialsMaterials– Atmospheric PropertiesAtmospheric Properties– Fast Information Retrieval MethodsFast Information Retrieval Methods

Aerospace Planes = Airplanes + Rocket Aerospace Planes = Airplanes + Rocket EnginesEngines

Synergize Vast Experience Among Builders: Synergize Vast Experience Among Builders: – Aircraft builders and Rocket BuildersAircraft builders and Rocket Builders– Merging the efforts of these two talent pools is a powerful Merging the efforts of these two talent pools is a powerful

approach to building aerospace planesapproach to building aerospace planes

Extending the Performance of Aircraft seems a more Extending the Performance of Aircraft seems a more sensible approach than man-rating artillery rocketssensible approach than man-rating artillery rockets

Utilize Vast Array of Existing “Know-How”Utilize Vast Array of Existing “Know-How”– EAA has been a continuous source of aviation advancesEAA has been a continuous source of aviation advances– ARS et.al. has been a continuous source of rocketry ARS et.al. has been a continuous source of rocketry

advancesadvances

Rocket Propulsion for the Homebuilt Rocket Propulsion for the Homebuilt Aerospace PlaneAerospace Plane

Solid Rocket MotorsSolid Rocket Motors

Liquid Rocket EnginesLiquid Rocket Engines

Hybrid Rocket MotorsHybrid Rocket Motors

Combined-Cycle EnginesCombined-Cycle Engines

Liquid Rocket EnginesLiquid Rocket Engines

LOx/RP-1 Engine Test, 12,000 lbf ThrustPhoto courtesy of Space America, Inc.http://www.spaceamerica.com/

Oxidizer Fuel

Pressurant

Gas

Hybrid Rocket EnginesHybrid Rocket Engines

Pressurant

Gas

Oxidizer

N20/HTTP Hybrid Engine Test, 1300 lbf thrustPhoto courtesy of HARC

Combined-Cycle EnginesCombined-Cycle Engines

High Thrust-to-High Thrust-to-Weight, Specific Weight, Specific Thrust, and IspThrust, and Isp

Zero to Mach 5-6 Zero to Mach 5-6 Operating RangeOperating Range

SimpleSimple

Integrates with Integrates with Rocket SystemsRocket SystemsCompressor Turbine

Combustor

Nozzle

The Air Turbo The Air Turbo RocketRocket

Gas generator

Safety Cost Avail-ability

Complexity AerospacePlane

Suitability

Solid RocketMotors

Low High Low Low Low

Liquid RocketEngines

Med. Med. High Med. High

Hybrid RocketMotors

High Low High Med. High

Combined-Cycle Engines

Med. High Low High Low

Propulsion Options Available to the Propulsion Options Available to the HomebuilderHomebuilder

Good Poor Acceptable with Further Development

Key

Development Synopsis for the Development Synopsis for the Homebuilt Aerospace PlaneHomebuilt Aerospace Plane

Design PrinciplesDesign Principles

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Significant Design ConsiderationsSignificant Design Considerations

Building and Operating CostsBuilding and Operating Costs

Example VehiclesExample Vehicles

Design Principles for Homebuilt Aerospace Design Principles for Homebuilt Aerospace PlanesPlanes(KIS(KIS33S)S)

Think SmallThink Small

Keep it SimpleKeep it Simple

Design for SafetyDesign for Safety

Aerospace Planes have a wider Range of Aerospace Planes have a wider Range of Characteristics relative to General Aviation Characteristics relative to General Aviation

PlanesPlanes

Aerodynamics Characterized by:Aerodynamics Characterized by:– Compressible FlowCompressible Flow– Real Gas EffectsReal Gas Effects– Slip Flow (high Altitudes and Speeds)Slip Flow (high Altitudes and Speeds)

High Propellant FractionsHigh Propellant Fractions

Rocket PropulsionRocket Propulsion

Additional Systems:Additional Systems:– Reaction Control Reaction Control – Life SupportLife Support

What Are the Significant Design What Are the Significant Design Considerations?Considerations?

How to You Achieve Sufficiently High Propellant Mass How to You Achieve Sufficiently High Propellant Mass Fractions?Fractions?

Aero-thermodynamic Properties:Aero-thermodynamic Properties:– Vehicle AerodynamicsVehicle Aerodynamics– Material CompatibilitiesMaterial Compatibilities– The “Up” Problems ( Burn Up, Blow Up, Break Up -> Toes Up)The “Up” Problems ( Burn Up, Blow Up, Break Up -> Toes Up)

Human FactorsHuman Factors

Unknown ProblemsUnknown Problems

Homebuilt Aerospace Plane CostsHomebuilt Aerospace Plane Costs

MaterialsMaterials– structurestructure– TPSTPS

Rocket EngineRocket Engine

SystemsSystems– Propellant tankagePropellant tankage– ControlsControls– Life SupportLife Support– Navigation/Comm.Navigation/Comm.

PropellantsPropellants

Operating ExpensesOperating Expenses

MaintenanceMaintenance

Fees and LicensingFees and Licensing

Non-Recurring CostsNon-Recurring Costs Recurring CostsRecurring Costs

2-person, sub-orbital vehicle7000 lbm GLOW, 5000 lbm propellant, delta V=5000 ft/sec

Materials Structure $ 100,000 Thermal Protection $ 40,000

System Rocket Engine $ 250,000 Propellant Tankage $ 150,000 Pressurant System $ 90,000 Reaction Control System $ 65,000 Life Support $ 50,000 Comm./Nav. $ 50,000 on-board elec. Power $ 30,000

Other Instrumentation $ 20,000 Landing Gear $ 5,000

Total Cost (dry vehicle) $ 850,000

Propellants (per flight) 3500 lbm Lox $ 700 1500 lbm RP-1 $ 400

Homebuilt Aerospace Plane Costs Homebuilt Aerospace Plane Costs

Less than$1,000,000

Representative Homebuilt Aerospace Representative Homebuilt Aerospace PlanePlane

Crew/Recovery Compartment

Pressurant gas

Propellant Tankage

Reaction Control System

Rocket Engine

Control Surfaces (Wings and Empenage)

Life support

Thermal Protection

Rocket-Powered ErcoupeRocket-Powered Ercoupe

First Rocket-Powered First Rocket-Powered Airplane test by U.S. Airplane test by U.S. Military; Aug. 12th, Military; Aug. 12th, 19411941

6 solid propellant 6 solid propellant rocket motors; 3 rocket motors; 3 under each wingunder each wing

operated with and operated with and without prop thrustwithout prop thrust

subsonicsubsonic

Photo courtesy Ercoupe Web site:http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/3651/cfacts/jato.htm

Bell X-1Bell X-1

Lox/Alcohol Lox/Alcohol Rocket motorRocket motor

2000 lbf thrust2000 lbf thrust

1200 lbm 1200 lbm onboard onboard propellantpropellant

supersonicsupersonic

Photo courtesy of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Photo Gallery

tgs Kitten tgs Kitten Cerulean Freight Forwarding CompanyCerulean Freight Forwarding Company

3-place Rocket-Powered 3-place Rocket-Powered VehicleVehicle

3 x 4880 lbf 3 x 4880 lbf Liquid Rocket Motors; Liquid Rocket Motors; LOx and CH4 LOx and CH4 or C3H8or C3H8

7000 lbm Gross Lift-off 7000 lbm Gross Lift-off Weight (GLOW)Weight (GLOW)

4600 lbm Propellants4600 lbm Propellants

Sub-OrbitalSub-OrbitalImage courtesy Cerulean Freight Forwarding Co.http://www.nvinet.com/%7Ecffc/page2.htm

Homebuilt Aerospace PlaneHomebuilt Aerospace PlaneDevelopment RoadmapDevelopment Roadmap

Airframe Development

2000 2020

Existing Rocket Engines

1st Homebuilt Aerospace

Plane

Hypersonic/Sub-Orbital

Airframe

2nd Gen. Aerospace

Plane

X-PrizeB-Prize

Next Generation Propulsion

Orbital Aerospace

Plane

Orbital Flight

TSTO Launch Aircraft

Orbital/Re-entry Airframe

1st Custom Airframe

Custom Rocket Engine

Rocket Development

Challenges to the Aerospace Plane Challenges to the Aerospace Plane HomebuilderHomebuilder

Building and Operating Costs will be Building and Operating Costs will be significantly higher than for General significantly higher than for General Aviation AircraftAviation Aircraft

Integrating into the Existing Regulatory Integrating into the Existing Regulatory System will require perseverance and System will require perseverance and fortitudefortitude

Builders will be told repeatedly:Builders will be told repeatedly: “You “You can’t do it”can’t do it”

Motivations for Building Aerospace PlanesMotivations for Building Aerospace Planes

FunFun

FreedomFreedom

WealthWealth

AdventureAdventure

ChallengeChallenge

“For those who understand, no explanation is necessary;

For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible”

ConclusionsConclusions

Homebuilt Aerospace Planes are AchievableHomebuilt Aerospace Planes are Achievable

Synergy of Rocket and Aircraft Builders will Synergy of Rocket and Aircraft Builders will make Homebuilt Aerospace Planes Possiblemake Homebuilt Aerospace Planes Possible

Aerospace Plane Designs Lie within the Realm Aerospace Plane Designs Lie within the Realm of Existing Knowledgeof Existing Knowledge

acknowledgementsacknowledgements

LOx/RP-1 Engine Testing Video footage:LOx/RP-1 Engine Testing Video footage: Space Space America, Inc.America, Inc. http://www.spaceamerica.com/http://www.spaceamerica.com/

Kitten Image and data:Kitten Image and data:Cerulean Freight Forwarding Co.Cerulean Freight Forwarding Co.http://www.nvinet.com/%7Ecffc/page2.htmhttp://www.nvinet.com/%7Ecffc/page2.htm

Hybrid Engine Testing Video Footage:Hybrid Engine Testing Video Footage: High High Altitude Research Corp.Altitude Research Corp. (256)-683-7864(256)-683-7864

Air Turbo Rocket Testing Video Footage:Air Turbo Rocket Testing Video Footage: Dr. Jay Dr. Jay LilleyLilley U.S. Army Aviation and Missile CommandU.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command

The Vision for Homebuilt Aerospace The Vision for Homebuilt Aerospace PlanesPlanes

We can build Aerospace Planes if We Want toWe can build Aerospace Planes if We Want to

We are at the dawn of We are at the dawn of the Age of the Personal Aerospace Planethe Age of the Personal Aerospace Plane

Homebuilt Aerospace Planes will open up Homebuilt Aerospace Planes will open up the Space Frontier for the rest of the Space Frontier for the rest of

usus

"....For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see,"....For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see,Saw the Vision of the World, and all the wonder that would be;Saw the Vision of the World, and all the wonder that would be;Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails,Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails,

Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales;..."Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales;..."

-Alfred, Lord Tennyson--Alfred, Lord Tennyson-