Vol. 34, No. 5 September 2008 News and Information for the Greater Propulsion Community

A DoD Information Analysis CenterSponsored by JANNAF and DTIC

Inside This IssueCPIAC Supports Next-Generation Solutions at JPC in Hartford, CT...........10

CPIAC Subscription Products and Services.........................................................11

JANNAF MSS/LPS/SPS to Meet in Orlando in December...............................11

NASA’s In-Space Propulsion Technology Project...........................................................12

JANNAF to Convene in Las Vegas for April 2009 JPM and Joint Subcommittee Meeting..........................14

In MemoriamMr. Joseph G. Bendot.........................15

Propulsion News Highlights..................16

People in PropulsionDr. Mike Lyon, Director, Propulsion and Structures, AMRDEC, Retires ..........................17Recent CPIAC Products/Publications......................2Technical/Bibliographic Inquiries..............................2Bulletin Board/Mtg.Reminders...................................3JANNAF Meeting Calendar................................back

continued on page 4

MARS PHOENIX LANDER—A SAFE LANDING!

NASA’s Mars Phoenix spacecraft landed safely on Mars on May 25, 2008 (Fig. 1). The spacecraft had appeared to be destined for display in a museum after its twin, Mars Polar Lander (MPL), was lost coincident with its 1999 landing. In 2001, however, there was a turn of events for Phoenix when principal investigator Peter Smith of the

University of Arizona proposed to resurrect the MPL twin for a return to Mars as the first spacecraft of the Mars Scout programs. Several challenges faced Dr. Smith and his team; various parts of the spacecraft had already been salvaged for other uses, and both the mission and its philosophy had changed. Fortunately, the lander’s main structure, built for the Mars Survey program, had been kept in a protective, controlled environment after the lander portion of that program was cancelled.Preparing for Phoenix

Propulsion systems were fabricated for Mars Polar Lander and its twin be-ginning in 1995. Parts of what would become Phoenix, including more than half of the lander thrusters, were harvested and used for Mars Reconnais-sance Orbiter’s Mars Orbit Insertion (MOI). In order to rebuild the space-craft for Phoenix, Aerojet built new lander thrusters. Other modifications were made to the inherited lander: some to meet NASA’s return-to-flight recommendations after its

review of Mars mission failures in 1999 and others to adapt to the mission goals and plans for Phoenix.

Figure 1. Phoenix Lands on the Mars Surface, Artist’s Rendition.

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“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” William Shedd

Global Hypersonic News for a High Mach World

Current global hypersonic activities are exciting and quite diverse, ranging from hypersonic system development to basic research on such topics as aerodynamics and propulsion. In cooperation with the AIAA Hyper-

sonic Technologies and Aerospace Planes (HyTASP) Program Committee (PC), we will highlight these activities through a series of CPIAC Bulletin articles. This first article in the series will feature global hypersonic program activities. The second article, to be published in November 2008, will focus on hypersonic ground testing activities and various university activities in hypersonics. In the January issue, we’ll share interviews conducted with Dr. Mark Lewis, United States Air Force Chief Scientist, and Professor Russell Boyce, DSTO Chair for Hypersonics at the University of Queensland, providing readers with their

By Peter Montgomery, Arnold AFB, and Ronald Fry, CPIAC

continued on page 6

By Olwen Morgan, Aerojet

2 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No.5, September 2008

Recent CPIAC PublicationsCD SP-0802, Ignition and Thermal Hazards of Selected Aerospace Fluids, Special Publication, (NASA Document No. RD-WSTF-0001, Oct. 1988), Republished by CPIAC, May 2008.

The Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center (CPIAC), a DoD Information Analysis Center, is sponsored and administratively managed by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). CPIAC is responsible for the acquisition, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of information and data relevant to chemical, electric, and nuclear propulsion technology. In addition, CPIAC provides technical and administrative support to the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Interagency Propulsion Committee. The purpose of JANNAF is to solve propulsion problems, affect coordination of technical programs, and promote an exchange of technical information in the areas of missile, space, and gun propulsion technology. A fee commensurate with CPIAC products and services is charged to subscribers, who must meet security and need-to-know requirements.

The Bulletin is published bimonthly and is available free of charge to the propulsion community. Reproduction of Bulletin articles is permissible, with attribution. Neither the U.S. Government, CPIAC, nor any person acting on their behalf, assumes any liability resulting from the use or publication of the information contained in this document, or warrants that such use or publication of the information contained in this document will be free from privately owned rights. The content of the Bulletin is approved for public release, and distribution is unlimited.

Paid commercial advertisements published in the Bulletin do not represent any endorsement by CPIAC.

Editor: Rosemary Dodds410-992-1905, ext. 219; Fax 410-730-4969

E-mail: rdodds@jhu.edu

The Johns Hopkins University/CPIAC10630 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 202

Columbia, Maryland 21044-3286CPIAC Director: Dr. Edmund K. S. Liu

CPIAC is a JANNAF- and DTIC-sponsored DOD Information Analysis Center operated

by The Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering

under contract W91QUZ-05-D-0003http://www.cpiac.jhu.edu

Copyright © 2008The Johns Hopkins University

No copyright is claimed in works of theU.S. Government.

CPIAC’s Technical/Bibliographic Inquiry Service

BIBLIOGRAPHIC INQUIRIES

TECHNICAL INQUIRIES

CPIAC offers a variety of services to its subscribers, including responses to technical/bibliographic inquiries. Answers are usually provided within three working days and take the form of telephoned, telefaxed, electronic or written technical summaries. Customers are provided with copies of JANNAF papers, excerpts from technical reports, bibliographies of pertinent literature, names of recognized experts, propellant/ingredient data sheets, computer programs, and/or theoretical performance calculations. The CPIAC staff responds to nearly 800 inquiries per year from over 180 customer organizations. CPIAC invites inquiries via telephone, fax, e-mail, or letter. For further information, please contact Ron Fry by e-mail to rs_fry@jhu.edu. Representative recent inquiries include the following:

Information regarding increasing hybrid rocket fuel regression rates a) using •metal additives or thermally conductive structures, and b) using hypergolic additives. (Req. 26061)Survey of information on vent release materials and liner release concepts •for anti armor warhead (AAW) venting. (Req. 26042)Typical approaches for launch vehicle base heating insulation. (Req. •26039)List of Ingredient Acronym/Short Name Entries in CPIAC Propellant and •Energetic Ingredient Database (PEID). (Req. 26030)Data on RF attenuation of LOX RP-1 plumes. (Req. 26024)•

Turbine-Based Combined Cycle (TBCC). (Req. 25998) •Insensitive Munitions of solid propellants and propulsion systems. (Req. •26020)

JANNAF Journal of Propulsion and Energetics

A limited-distribution technical journal dedicated to the publication of scholarly work in the fields of aerospace

propulsion and energetic materials research and development.

Submit your manuscript for peer review now and have it considered for publication in an upcoming issue.

Visit www.jannaf.org for details.

3 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 5, September 2008

The Bulletin Board Various meetings and events of interest are listed below. We welcome all such

announcements so that the propulsion community can be better served with timely information. For information on additional industry meetings, visit the CPIAC calendar of Meetings & Symposia available at http://www.cpia.jhu.edu/templates/cpiacTemplate/meetings/. The JANNAF Calendar appears on the back page.

AIAA SPACE 2008 Conference & Exposition9-11 September 2008San Diego, CAPOC: www.aiaa.org

26th Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences14-19 September 2008Anchorage, AlaskaPOC: www.ICAS.org

26th International Seminar on Safety Science and Technology24-27 September 2008Beijing, ChinaPOC: www.issst.com.cn

24th International Symposium on Ballistics (NDIA) 22-26 September 2008New Orleans, LA POC: www.ndia.org

46th SAFE Association Symposium27-29 October 2008Reno, NVPOC: www.safeassociation.com

AIAA Missile Sciences Conference18-20 November 2008Monterey, CAPOC: www.aiaa.org

Airbag 20081-3 December 2008Karlsruhe, GermanyPOC: www.ict.fraunhofer.de

47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting5-8 January 2009Orlando, FLPOC: www.aiaa.org/events/asm

35th Annual ISEE Conference8-11 February 2009Denver, COPOC: www.isee.org

11th International Symposium on Fireworks 20-24 April 2009Puerto Vallarta, MexicoPOC: www.isfireworks.com

Army Research Laboratory Features Lecture Series by

Professor Ken Kuo through 2008

Professor Kenneth K. Kuo, Penn State’s Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director

of its High Pressure Combustion Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, continues to lecture on a variety of topics on

propulsion, propellants, and energetic materials at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in Aberdeen, Maryland. During the summer months, Professor Kuo’s presentations covered Fundamentals of Solid Propellant Combustion Characteristics, Thermal Decomposition of Nitramines, and RDX Decomposition Kinetics and Modeling. CPIAC will continue to post abstracts of Prof. Kuo’s upcoming lectures on its Home page at http://www.cpiac.jhu.edu as they become available.

This lecture series is being sponsored by the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate (WMRD) through the Army Research Office. Attendees must be U.S. citizens to access the ARL facility.

ARL Visitor Information

If your organization uses JPAS, you can submit a visit request by providing the following information: 1) Name; 2) Reason for visit and POC; 3) Secu-rity Management Office (SMO) Code (ARL’s SMO code: W26218); 4) First day of visit; and 5) Last day of visit.

Visitors who wish to attend but do not have JPAS access may contact Amanda Porter at 410-306-0713. Ms. Porter is the Project Liaison, WMRD/BWCD-Propulsion Science Branch, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, and will assist visitors with their requests, which can be faxed to the reception desk. All visit requests should be submitted several working days prior to the date of the visit.

4 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No.5, September 2008

Aerojet Propulsion for the Phoenix MissionAerojet’s flight-proven monopropellant hydrazine

thrusters were selected for the Phoenix mission. The 1.0 lbf and 5.0 lbf cruise thrusters were used conventionally for trajectory correction and other maneuvers, and the 68 lbf thrusters were used unconventionally for landing. Off-pulsing various engines oriented the spacecraft correctly to bring in a successful Mars landing.

Technical characteristics of the descent thruster included the following:

Fuel: Monopropellant Hydrazine•Thrust: 68-25 lbf•Specific Impulse: 232-229 lbf-sec/lbm (Nominal)•Operational Capabilities: Steady State and Pulse Mode, •BlowdownPropellant Valve: Single seat, fast response, originally •built for the Small Missile (SICBM) programDemonstrated cold start capability•

Figure 2 shows the installation of one of those thrusters onto Phoenix. Figure 3, which shows the Lander’s assembly, also indicates the location of the thrusters because of the visibility of the thrusters’ red caps.Hydrazine – The Clean Propellant

Hydrazine (N2H4) has a very clean exhaust consisting of nitrogen, hydrogen, and ammonia, thus providing minimal contamination risk to the Martian environment. Because most traditional rocket propellants contain carbon, and instru-ments in search of life rely on carbon markers, hydrazine is usually the propellant of choice for Mars missions.Ground-Level Testing

One unique aspect of the Mars Polar Lander and Phoenix applications was possible operation at very low catalyst bed temperatures.1 While

Mars Phoenix Lander....continued from page 1

Figure 2. Mars Phoenix Lander Thruster Installation.

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Mars Polar Lander was already in cruise to Mars for an anticipated December 1999 entry and landing, it was de-cided that additional testing was warranted to validate the thermal predictions and to ensure the thrusters’ capa-bility. Testing conducted at Aerojet (Fig. 4) in October and November of 1999 verified that the thruster could indeed be started with catalyst bed temperatures as low as minus 28°C. An extended valve warm-up time was used on orbit to raise the nominal catalyst bed tempera-ture to 12.8° C, providing significant margin above the cold start capability. The lander thrusters were flown “dry”; isolation valves were opened shortly before land-ing to allow propellant flow to the thrusters.

In addition to the testing that had been performed in support of Mars Polar Lander, additional special testing was conducted for the Phoenix landing. Under direction

from scientists at NASA Langley Research Center, techni-cians fired engines into specially cleaned test articles and examined the articles for residual contaminants. Specifical-ly, they looked for post-fire levels of ammonia which could contaminate Martian soil, hence affecting Phoenix’s read-ings. Determining the level of contaminant, or “background noise” would lead to more accurate Mars soil analysis.

Lockheed Martin, with support from Aerojet, performed system-level ground tests of the engines at its facility in Den-ver, Colorado. Twelve engines firing at once with a variety of duty cycles can produce significant water hammer interac-tion. The team needed to ensure that the propulsion system could withstand the expected operational constraints. En-gines were test-fired in a flight-like system, as shown in Fig. 5, first with water and then with hydrazine at flight-predicted duty cycles. System testing quantified the predictability and

Figure 3. Mars Phoenix Assembly in Clean Room (Lander Engines Beneath the Red Caps).

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5 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 5, September 2008

performance of the propulsion system while accounting for the interaction of the 12 engines’ independent firing duty cy-cles. Rigorous testing demonstrated that the engines could last more than seven times the required life.Phoenix Launches

Launched on August 4, 2007 from Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, Phoenix was Aerojet’s 257th successful Delta launch since 1960. Aerojet provided its second stage engine (the AJ10-118K used in the Delta II spacelift propul-sion) to launch the Phoenix Lander. The second stage engine provided 10,000 lbf of thrust. Additionally, Aerojet provid-ed the third stage engine spin motor with approximately 50 lbf of thrust.Cruise

Cruise stage engines consisted of four pairs of 5.0 lbf/1.0 lbf thrusters (eight thrusters total) and provided trajectory correction maneuvers throughout the 10-month travel time.

The cruise engines also assisted in clearing the spacecraft from the parachute during the descent phase.Preparing for Landing

Aerojet’s engines provided propulsion for cruise, Mars Orbit Insertion (MOI) and attitude control for the Mars Re-connaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey, which were used to provide pre-landing support for Phoenix. The European Space Agency’s Mars Express also assisted with the success-ful landing.The Landing

In order to successfully land on Mars, Phoenix needed to reduce its speed from 12,700 mph to a soft touch-down in just seven minutes. Six major transformations, including heat shield jettison and parachute deployment, culminated in a final propulsive descent. The Phoenix landing system used an actively guided descent for a controlled touchdown, rather than an airbag-cushioned landing like those of the Mars Pathfinder and the Mars Exploration Rover missions. This method allowed a higher ratio of payload weight to to-tal weight. Three of the 68 lbf thrusters were left on at full thrust for the entire 37 seconds of powered flight, while the other nine were cycled on and off at up to 10 times per sec-ond based on the radar and computer inputs.2 By the time Phoenix was less than 150 feet above the Martian surface, the thrusters were able to establish a constant descent rate of only five mph with virtually no lateral motion.

All propulsive maneuvers for Phoenix concluded when the pressurant gas was vented shortly after landing in order to avoid possible freeze-thaw cycles that could theoretically cause the propellant tank to burst. Mission Life

Phoenix itself is unlikely to substantially outlive its 90-day mission due to the extreme weather conditions of Mars. While the engines have been designed to correct for freezing temperatures, the spacecraft itself is not expected to with-stand the cold Martian winter.History is Made!

On May 25th, 2008, ten months after its launch, the Phoe-nix Lander made its historic landing on Mars. Less than three weeks after landing, the Lander extracted a soil sample suitable for analysis, and since then several exciting discov-eries have been made: ice, water ice, and evidence of per-chlorates. Phoenix’s mission is to “follow the water” and it has done so extraordinarily well.

Endnotes1 Frei, Thomas E., Fischer, Timothy L., and Weiss, Jeffrey M., “Mars Polar Lander Thruster Cold Start Validation Testing,” AIAA-2001-3261, 37th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, July 8-11, 2001, Salt Lake City, Utah.2 Covault, Craig. “Carrying the Fire,” Aviation Week and Space Technology, June 2, 2008.

Figure 5. Water Hammer Test Set-up at Lockheed Martin.

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Figure 4. Phoenix Lander Engine During Hot-Fire Testing.

6 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No.5, September 2008

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Global Hypersonic Program ActivitiesX-51 Program Activities: The X-51 Scramjet Engine Dem-onstrator Waverider Program is an advanced hypersonic propulsion development effort funded by the Air Force Re-search Laboratory (AFRL) and the Defense Advanced Re-search Projects Agency (DARPA). NASA, AFRL, and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne successfully completed tests of the X-51 X-1 scramjet engine (Fig. 1) in the NASA Langley Re-search Center’s 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel from De-cember 2006 through April 2007. The tests were conducted at simulated flight Mach numbers of 4.6, 5.0, and 6.5. The most notable accomplishments include quantifying engine performance and operability, developing an engine start se-quence similar to that planned for flight, and demonstrating fuel staging between fuel injection sites. The X-51A Flight Test Program plans to demonstrate the scramjet engine with-in the Mach 4.5 to 6.0+ range with four flight tests beginning in 2009, setting the foundation for several hypersonic ap-plications, including access to space, reconnaissance-strike and global reach. Through AFRL’s X-51B Program, ATK GASL is continuing the development of its Mach 5 thermal-ly throated ramjet engine through combustor and full engine testing. This engine, combined and integrated with the X-51 airframe into the X-51B vehicle, provides a platform for ad-vancing hypersonic technologies.

Air Force Research Lab Hypersonic Activities: The Aerospace Propulsion Division of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson AFB continues its substan-tial commitment to science and technology in the area of high-speed, airbreathing propulsion. The organization con-tains the X-51A scramjet engine demonstrator project office, leads the Robust Scramjet exploratory development effort, and continues a strong basic and applied research program in technologies related to the scramjet. The division will soon house the DARPA/AF Blackswift program office. The X-51A program continues to make progress towards its planned 4-flight test series to begin in 2009. The Robust Scramjet program is primarily a contracted effort with the U.S. scram-jet industry to develop the technologies necessary to make larger and reusable scramjets and increase the useful range of flight Mach numbers. The current intent is to concentrate resources on a mid-scale demonstrator to follow our efforts with the X-51 flight experiment program. Basic and applied research enjoys AFOSR support and continues its focus on physical experimentation, numerical analysis, and applied advanced diagnostics for high-speed, reacting flows. Efforts support the X-51 and Robust Scramjet programs, and the U.S.-Australian Hypersonic International Flight Research and Experimentation (HIFiRE) program, which is responsi-ble for an optical mass capture experiment on HIFiRE Flight 1, projected for a November 08 launch; and for the flowpath design in the first propulsion experiment within HIFiRE – projected to launch in 2010.

Blackswift Program: Trade magazine reports indicate the DARPA agency released the Blackswift program request for proposals, which were due April 14. The joint DARPA/USAF Blackswift flight test program will develop and flight test a reusable, airbreathing hypersonic testbed to validate key technologies developed in the DARPA/USAF Falcon program. Falcon’s program objectives were to develop and

demonstrate hypersonic technologies that will enable prompt global reach missions. The future vision for this capability includes a reusable Hypersonic Cruise Ve-hicle (HCV). Reports suggest Blackswift will develop a reusable, air-breathing hypersonic testbed to demon-strate a runway take-off, Mach 6+ cruise for at least 60 seconds, lateral maneuver, aileron roll, and a runway landing.USA – Australia Joint Activities: HIFiRE – The pur-pose of this program is the exploration and development of fundamental hypersonic technologies, with a focus particularly on enabling technologies for long range responsive strike weapons. The principal research ob-jective of the collaborative program is to investigate fundamental hypersonic phenomena and to character-ize the subject phenomena in environments representa-tive of those to be experienced by hypersonic aerospace Figure 1. United States X-51X-1 Scramjet Engine Test at NASA Langley

Research Center.

perspectives on the hypersonics community. The HyTASP committee, which helps to coordinate the activities of AIAA Technical Committees across the many disciplines related to hypersonic technology and aerospace planes, published a full review of these activities in its inaugural newsletter in April 2008. This newsletter, which was established to pro-mote communication across the international community, is available at: http://www.aiaa.org/Participate/Uploads/April%202008%20HyTASP%20Newsletter.pdf.

Global Hypersonics .... continued from page 1

7 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 5, September 2008

Global Hypersonics .... continued from page 6

continued on page 8

vehicles and weapon systems. Tasks include modeling, ground testing un-der representative hypersonic flight conditions, developing flight worthy instrumentation, flight experiments and payloads, conducting flight tests in realistic hypersonic environments, cor-relating modeling, ground, and flight test data, and evaluating the merits of hypersonic technologies and experi-mental approaches. Validation activi-ties will be conducted by executing 10 flight tests through 2012, launch-ing aboard sounding rockets at the Woomera Test Range in South Austra-lia. The multi-national HIFiRE team includes representatives from several AFRL Directorates, AFOSR, three Di-visions of the Australian DSTO, and the NASA Hypersonics Program Office. Figure 2 is a representation of the Ter-rior Orion used in the HIFiRE testing.

Italy – Italian Unmanned SpaceVehicle Program: The Italian Unmanned Space Vehicle (USV) Program, has constructed two vehicles, Castore and Polluce, with the goal of adding to the world’s operational space demonstrators. The USV Program is aimed at future hypersonic transport and Earth reusable re-entry.

The flying test bed Castore successfully completed its first mission on the morning of February 24, 2007, simulating the final part of a space vehicle’s re-entry into the atmosphere. The launch took place at 8:30 a.m. from Tortolì airport in Sardinia. Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali (CIRA) researchers are now in an advanced phase of data analysis (i.e., flight data, system housekeeping data, aerodynamic and structural data collected). The execution of this first mission required massive involvement of government bodies such as the Italian Space Agency (ASI), CNR (National Re-search Council), Italian Air Force, Italian Navy, ENAC (Ital-ian Civil Aviation Authority), ENAV (Italian Company for Air Navigation Services) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Scientific success of the first mission has encouraged the participants to pursue the preparation of the second mis-sion with the flying test bed Polluce, to again be launched from the Sardinia site.

Germany - German Aerospace Center, DLR: Hypersonic research has a long tradition at DLR. The work ranges from the investigation of the aerodynamics and the propulsion system of hypersonic vehicles to the study of the aerother-modynamics of entry or re-entry vehicles. After the success-ful flight of DLR’s Sharp Edge Flight Experiment, Shefex I in October 2005, DLR kicked off the Shefex II project in

summer 2007. The goal of the Shefex flight program, using two- stage sound-ing rockets, is the proof of concept of facetted thermal protection systems at hypersonic flight up to a flight Mach number of 11.France - The LEA Flight Test Program: MBDA France and ON-ERA are leading a specific scientific program, called LEA, organized to define a methodology for the devel-opment of a hypersonic vehicle using ground tests and numerical simulation, develop the required experimental or numerical tools, develop an experi-mental vehicle, and validate this meth-odology through flight tests. Comple-menting 20 years of European hyper-sonic research, this program, which started in January 2003, is planned to end in 2013 after six autonomous flight tests of the experimental vehicle in the Mach number range from 4 to

8. A Preliminary Design Review was held in early 2006 to define the main design guidelines of the LEA experimen-tal vehicle (Fig 3). Detailed vehicle design work is ongoing on the methane-hydrogen fueled, variable geometry engine with the objective of validating the aero-propulsive configu-ration in its first free jet test series at Mach 6 in fall 2009. To limit costs, this non-recoverable flight test program will in-volve a minimum experimental vehicle using existing tech-nologies wherever possible. A general approach for ground testing has been defined but still remains to be refined and confirmed, which likely will include facility upgrades. The LEA flight test program, a very important first step in the definition and the validation of a development methodology for hypersonic airbreathing vehicles, is aimed at addressing the following: 1) accurate prediction of the aero-propulsive balance of an air breathing vehicle flying at high Mach num-ber; and, 2) the development of high-temperature structures for the combustion chambers.

Figure 3. CAD Illustration of France’s LEA Vehicle.

Figure 2. US-Australia’s Terrior Orion for HIFiRE Program.

8 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No.5, September 2008

Global Hypersonics...continued from page 7

Norway and Sweden: Recent European news reports con-firm that both Norway and Sweden have now joined the global hypersonic community with recent high Mach ramjet testing. Norway tested a Mach 4+ ramjet built by Raufoss with a 2 – 2 ½ D inlet which appears to use quite a bit of body lift. Sweden recently tested a Mach 5-6 ramjet build by SAAB.

Japan – JAXA Supersonic Transport Team, Aviation Program Group: Development status of a Precooled-Cy-cle Turbojet Engine toward Flight Demonstration. Turbine-Based Combined Cycle (TBCC) is one of the most promis-ing candidates for the propulsion system of low cost, high reliability and routine access to space and of the hypersonic air-cruiser. Precooled-Cycle Turbojet Engine (PCTJ) is un-der development in JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency) long-term vision toward 2025. A typical character-istic of PCTJ is to employ a pre-cooling device using liquid hydrogen fuel in order to expand the flight envelope from lift-off up to Mach 6, as well as to improve the engine thrust and specific impulse. JAXA conducted ground firing tests of ATREX (Air Turbo Ramjet engine, EXpander cycle) in 1990-2003 serving to define some of the key technologies used in the PCTJ. Recently, a subscale prototype “S-engine” of PCTJ was developed to verify the thermodynamic cycle and to build fundamental lightweight composite, variable-geometry technologies for reasonable cost. This S-engine has two combustion chambers: a core engine combustor and afterburner. A second ground firing test series of S-engine was successfully conducted in October 2007 at Noshiro Multi-Purpose Test Center of JAXA (Fig 4). A third firing test series, in which the engine is connected with the vehicle, is anticipated to take place this year. The JAXA program proposes a Mach 2 flight test of S-engine using a high alti-tude observation balloon “B-300” developed by ISAS/JAXA (Fig. 5). The test is called “Balloon based Operation Vehi-cle” (BOV). Testing of the BOV began in 2005 with BOV-1 and BOV-2 successfully used as a test beds for micro gravity experiments. Two additional vehicles are planned with the S-engine flight on “BOV-3” scheduled for May 2009.

Multinational Collaboration - The European UnionLAPCAT Program: The European Space Agency, ESA funded the project LAPCAT (Long-Term Advanced Pro-pulsion Concepts and Technologies) concentrating on the propulsion system for advancing long-term technologies in high-speed flight at Mach 4 to 8, with the objective to iden-tify and assess critical propulsion technologies for construct-ing an intercontinental 200+ passenger hypersonic airliner that would reduce long distance flights, e.g. from Brussels to Sydney, to less than 2 to 4 hours. The consortium involved consists of 13 partners from European industries, research establishments and universities. Major activities in LAPCAT I were related to the development of numerical and experi-mental tools and continued in LAPCAT II. LAPCAT II logi-cally follows with two novel aircraft concepts. Achieving the goal to reduce long distance flights intrinsically requires a new flight regime for commercial transport involving ad-vanced airbreathing engines. Two versions are currently be-ing pursued: a Mach 4-5 and a Mach 8. The first uses a new (conceptual) version of the Scimitar rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) engine designed by Alan Bond of Reaction Engines Ltd. The second is a RBCC using a SCRJ cycle.

ATLLAS Project: In 2006, ESA funded the 3-year ATL-LAS project (Aerodynamic and Thermal Load Interactions with Lightweight Advanced Materials for High Speed Flight) to identify and assess lightweight advanced materials which can withstand ultra high temperatures and heat fluxes en-abling high-speed flight above Mach 3. Both Ceramic Ma-trix Composites (CMC) and heat resistant metals are being evaluated for revisited high-speed transport designs. A con-sortium consisting of 14 partners from European industries, research establishments and universities is involved.

Figure 4. Japan’s Precooled Turbojet Engine System Firing Test.

Figure 5. Japan’s Balloon-Based Flight Demonstration Vehicle of S-engine (BOV).

9 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 5, September 2008

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10 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No.5, September 2008

CPIAC Supports Next-Generation Solutions at 44th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit

CPIAC was one of nearly fif-ty exhibitors at the 44th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propul-sion Conference and Exhibit held 20-23 July 2008, at the Connecti-cut Convention Center in Hartford, Conn. This year’s meeting was sponsored by Pratt & Whitney, with Mr. Tom Farmer, President of P&W Military Engines as the Industry Executive Chair and Mr. John J. Young, Jr., U.S. Under-secretary of Defense for Acquisi-tion, Technology, and Logistics as the Government Executive Chair. The theme for the conference and exhibit was “From Air to Space: Propulsion Technologies for Next-Generation System Solutions.”

Many of the visitors at CPIAC’s exhibit booth were teachers par-ticipating in AIAA’s “Passport to the Future—Teacher Workshop,” which was established as a networking forum for educators from across the country. During the workshop, teachers shared ideas on how to inspire students in science and technology; discussed best teaching practices in science technology, engineering and math; and offered methods of administering the use of instructional technology. Several of the CPIAC marketing items that were distributed, such as magnetic bookmarks, bubble pens, and rockets, are geared toward children of elementary and middle school ages and may be used by the teachers to encourage students and to reward good work. There were also three winners in the popular CPIAC Propulsion Facts and Trivia Contest; each received a JANNAF “Rocket Scientist” tee shirt.

Also on display were product flyers and database demonstrations noting CPIAC, in operation since 1946, as the national clearinghouse for world-wide information, data, and analysis on chemical, electri-cal, nuclear, and advanced propul-sion concepts for missile, space, and gun propulsion systems—a one-stop shop for all of the com-munities’ propulsion information needs. Individuals interested in seeking additional information re-garding CPIAC products and ser-vices may contact Lisa Nance at (410) 992-7305, ext 212, or e-mail: lnance@cpiac.jhu.edu.

CPIAC technical staff also at-tended and participated in many of the AIAA propulsion functions, continuing a long history of cross-

fertilization between the AIAA and JANNAF propulsion communities. Several JANNAF panel meetings were held during the week, including those for the Spacecraft Propul-sion Subcommittee (SPS) Chemical Propulsion and Electric Propulsion Panels, as well as one for the Liquid Propulsion Subcommittee (LPS) Test Standards and Practices Panel. For more information on SPS or LPS activities, please con-tact Peter Zeender at pzeender@cpiac.jhu.edu.

Prof. Susan D. Penko, Faculty Member of Baldwin Wallace College Mathematics and Computer Science Department, seeks materials to award participants in her high school computer programming contest.

Ms. Abigail Wojtcuk (above), a Civilian Air Patrol Volunteer assisting the AIAA teacher’s workshop, and Mr. Jarred Reneau (left), an attendee from Mississippi State University, show off their “Rocket Scientist” prize tee shirts .

11 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 5, September 2008

As the longest continuously operating Department of Defense Information Analysis Center, CPIAC continues to serve as the national resource center for

technical data on rocket, missile, space, and gun propulsion and energetic materials technology. In 2004, CPIAC developed an online information portal, the Chemical Propulsion Information Network (CPIN), in order to deliver its products and services via the internet. Initially, this portal provided access to our Propulsion Information Retrieval System (PIRS), but it has grown to incorporate an electronic library of our legacy propulsion manuals. Our newest addition to CPIN is the Propellant and Explosive Ingredients Database (PEID), formerly the CPIA/M3 Solid Propellant Ingredient Manual. In addition to the manual’s conversion to an online version, data on suppliers and criticality of supply have been added, and the number of ingredients has been increased to 305, with corresponding data on 137 suppliers.

Other CPIN Databases include the following: Rocket Motor Electronic Database (RMED); Solid Propellant Database (SPD); Liquid Propellant and Fuels Database (LPFD); and Rocket Propulsion Test Facilities (RPTF).

In order to receive services from CPIAC, your organization must maintain valid registration with the Defense Logistics

Information Service (DLIS) to receive militarily critical technical data, and your active government contract(s) must be registered with the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). Additional information on eligibility for CPIAC products and services is located at: http://www.cpiac.jhu.edu/templates/cpiacTemplate/about/index.php?action=eligibility.

To obtain CPIAC products and services at a discounted customer rate, your organization can subscribe at the minimum subscription rate, which is $720 for the fiscal year, 1 October through 30 September. This subscription includes four hours of Technical/Bibliographic Inquiry time and a deposit account, which may be used

to purchase technical and bibliographic inquiry services or additional CPIAC documents, electronic products, or computer codes (a value of $1200).

Product fliers and CPIN demonstrations are available by contacting CPIAC Customer Service. Any questions concerning procedures for obtaining CPIAC products and services may be directed to Lisa Marie Nance at 410-992-7305, ext. 212, or by e-mail to lnance@cpiac.jhu.edu.

We encourage you to visit our website (www.cpiac.jhu.edu) regularly for updated information on CPIAC products and services.

Obtaining Products and Services through a CPIAC Subscription

Join JANNAF’s MSS/LPS/SPS in Disney World this December

The Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 6th Modeling and Simulation/4th Liquid Propulsion/3rd Spacecraft Propulsion Joint Subcommittee Meet-

ing will be held December 8-12, 2008, at the Hilton Walt Disney World, in Orlando, Florida. Dr. James M. Haas of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards AFB, Calif., is the Program Chair of this meeting. Mr. Richard S. Matlock, Program Director of the Multiple Kill Vehicle Program Office, Missile Defense Agency, will present the Keynote on Tuesday, December 9th. CPIAC will distribute the meeting invitation the week of September 29, 2008.

Abstracts are still being accepted for this meeting. The meeting announcement and call for papers for the meeting were distributed in April; please contact CPIAC’s Patricia Szybist at pats@jhu.edu or 410-992-7302, ext. 215, if you did not receive a copy or require additional information

Attendance at this JANNAF meeting is restricted to U.S. citizens whose organizations are registered with an appropriately classified contract with the Defense

Technical Information Center and certified for receipt of export-controlled technical data with the Defense Logistics Information Service.

The Hilton Walt Disney World (WDW) is located directly across the street from Downtown Disney. Complimentary shuttles run from the hotel parking lot to all of the Disney Theme Parks. Disney World offers Convention Delegate

tickets for JANNAF meeting attendees. Tickets for after 2:00 p.m. and after 4:00 p.m. are available for purchase on the web at http://www.disneyconventionear.com/jhu. Attendees staying at the Hilton WDW may take advantage of extended park hours. Each day, one of the Disney Theme parks opens an hour early or stays open up to an extra three hours. Once inside the parks, guests of the Hilton WDW may present

their room key and receive a wristband in order to enjoy extra time in the parks. In addition, the JANNAF room rates will be honored three days prior to the meeting and three days after the meeting subject to availability.

12 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No.5, September 2008

NASA’s In-Space Propulsion Technology Project Products for the Near-term, Part I

By Dr. Tibor Kremic, PE, ISPT Project Manager NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

The In-Space Propulsion Tech-nology (ISPT) Project, funded by NASA’s Science Mission Di-

rectorate (SMD), continues to invest in propulsion technologies. The objective of this project, which began in 2001, is to develop in-space propulsion technol-ogies that can enable or benefit near- and mid-term NASA space science missions by significantly reducing risk, cost, mass and travel times of NASA’s robotic science missions. SMD mis-sions seek to answer important science questions about our planet, the Solar System and beyond. Technologies that are developed through the ISPT project are intended to enable or help deliver spacecraft to target destinations.

ISPT develops primary in-space propulsion technologies and focuses on near- to mid-term products. This results in an ISPT portfolio comprised of tech-nologies typically in the mid technol-ogy readiness level (TRL) range (TRL 3-6+ range). The project strongly em-phasizes the development of propulsion products that NASA missions need and will fly. Any NASA center, U.S. gov-ernment organization, or commercial entity that requires in-space propulsion technology is considered a potential ISPT customer. However, the primary ISPT customer and the customer that determines ISPT investment priorities is the NASA Science Mission Director-ate and, in particular, the Planetary Sci-ence Division within SMD.

The ISPT project manages the de-velopment efforts in several technol-ogy areas. In most recent NASA SMD roadmaps, propulsion technologies of highest priority are identified in the ar-eas of electric propulsion and aerocap-ture. The ISPT reflects these priorities through the number of tasks and the levels of investment in these areas.

This article is the first part of a two-part feature providing a brief overview

and development status of products that the ISPT project is currently engaged in completing in the following areas: electric propulsion (EP), chemical propulsion, aerocapture, and thermal anaylsis. Part I will focus on electric propulsion and chemical propulsion products. Part II will examine tech-nologies in the areas of aerocapture and systems analysis.

Electric Propulsion: A key technol-ogy for ISPT is electric propulsion. EP is both an enabling and enhancing technology for reaching a wide range of targets. The high specific impulse, or efficiency of electric propulsion sys-tems, allows direct trajectories to mul-tiple targets that are infeasible to reach through chemical means. The technol-ogy allows for rendezvous missions in lieu of fly-bys and, as planned in Dawn (mission to Ceres and Vesta in the as-teroid belt), can enable multidestina-tion missions.

Investments within ISPT on electric propulsion have primarily focused on the development of NASA Evolution-ary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) and to a lesser extent on a low-cost and long life Hall Effect thruster. The NEXT project, led by Glenn Research Center (GRC), was competitively selected to develop a nominal 40 cm gridded-ion-electric propulsion system. The objectives were to develop a broadly applicable EP system that could support flagship class missions as well as the competed planetary missions. This would be done by improving upon the state-of-the-art NSTAR system flown on Deep Space-1 to achieve lower specific mass, higher I

sp (4050 s), greater throughput (current

estimates exceed 700 kg of xenon) and increase the power handling capability (6.9 kw), thrust (240 mN), and throttle range (12:1).

The ion propulsion system com-ponents being developed under the

Figure 1. NEXT thermal vacuum testing at JPL.

NEXT task include the ion thruster, the power processing unit (PPU), the feed system, and a gimbal mechanism. The NEXT project is focused on the development of prototype-model fidel-ity thrusters through Aerojet Corpora-tion. In addition to its technical goals, the project also has the goal of transi-tioning thruster manufacturing capa-bility with predictable yields. Recent accomplishments include a prototype-model NEXT thruster (Fig. 1), which has passed qualification level environ-mental testing. As of June 1, 2008, the thruster had achieved over 335 kg xe-non throughput and over 16,000 hrs of full power and throttled operation with-out ever breaking vacuum. The PPU contains all the electronics required to convert spacecraft power to the voltag-es and currents necessary to operate the thruster. Six different power supplies are needed to start and run the thruster with voltages reaching 1800 VDC and total power processing at 7 kW. The NEXT Engineering Model (EM) PPU was designed and fabricated by L3 Comm ETI, Inc. The PPU is currently

continued on page 13

13 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 5, September 2008

in vacuum having been incorporated into the system integrated testing. The PPU will go on to environmental test-ing which will include electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compat-ibility (EMI/EMC) testing to char-acterize the capability and emissions of the unit. A xenon feed system that has been developed is comprised of a single high-pressure assembly (HPA) with multiple low-pressure assemblies (LPAs). The HPA regulates xenon flow from tank pressure to a controlled in-put pressure to the LPAs. Each LPA provides precise xenon flow control to the thruster main plenum, discharge cathode, or neutralizer cathode. The entire system is considered the propel-lant management system (PMS). PMS development is complete and the sys-tem has passed all performance and environmental objectives. The system is single-fault tolerant, can regulate xe-non flow to the various components to better than 3% accuracy, and is also in-corporated into the single string testing in NASA Glenn’s vacuum facility VF6. The gimbal mechanism developed can articulate the thruster approximately 18 degrees in pitch and yaw. The NEXT project successfully demonstrated per-formance of the gimbal. The gimbal sub-system incorporates a design that significantly improves specific mass over state-of-art (SOA). The gimbal was mated with the thruster and was successfully vibration-tested first with a mass simulator and then with the NEXT Prototype Model (PM) thruster.

The project also completed devel-opment of a Digital Control Interface Unit (DCIU) simulator. This device al-lows communication and control of all system components during testing. A flight DCIU, or the incorporation of its functionality into other system/space-craft subsytems, would be required for a science mission. Life models, sys-tem level tests, such as a multithruster plume interaction test, and various oth-er supporting tests and activities have also been completed and documented.

The integrated NEXT system test-

Figure 2. AMBR thruster.

ing is occurring in relevant space con-ditions as a complete string. This will bring the system to a TRL level of 6 (with the exception of completing the full life test), and make it a candidate for upcoming mission opportunities. The demonstration of life by test has already achieved sufficient throughput for many science destinations. The test is planned to continue into the coming years, validating greater total impulse capability. The current goal is to achieve 450 kg throughput by test but, as stated earlier, it is expected that significantly more throughput can be achieved. Ma-jor support for the project has been pro-vided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Aerojet and L3 Comm.

ISPT has also invested in the HiVHAC thruster. HiVHAC is the first NASA electric propulsion thruster spe-cifically designed as a low-cost electric propulsion option targeting Discovery and New Frontiers missions and per-haps even smaller mission classes. The HiVHAC thruster does not provide as high a maximum specific impulse as NEXT, but the higher thrust-to-power and lower power requirements are well suited for the demands of Dis-covery class missions. Advancements

(in Hall technology) achieved with the HiVHAC thruster include 1) a very large throttle range, allowing for very low power operation, which results in the potential for smaller solar arrays at significant cost savings; and 2) a long-life capability that allows for greater total impulse with fewer thrusters. A laboratory model HiVHAC thruster is currently in wear testing and has suc-cessfully achieved over 4200 hrs and approximately 90 kg of xenon. An en-gineering model thruster is currently in the design and manufacturing phase and will be tested in 2009.

The ISPT office is completing its prior investment in a lightweight Ad-vanced Xenon Feed System (AXFS) with increased reliability. VACCO In-dustries has been developing the AXFS and delivered the Flow Control Mod-ule (FCM) in June of 2007. The FCM regulates flow to the cathodes and main xenon flow. Two FCMs have been de-livered with one having completed environmental testing to TRL 6. The effort is to develop a Pressure Control Module (PCM) and system controller and demonstrate both in an integrated hot-fire test. The integrated system is expected to have increased reliability with both parallel and series redun-dancy against performance accuracy and mission loss. The system offers mass and volume reduction of other feed system options. The flow control module has already met TRL 6 require-ments and can be used in combination with a mechanical pressure regulator. The system will be tested with thrust-ers in 2008.

The ISPT portfolio of the NEXT sys-tem, HiVHAC thruster, and subsystem improvements offer electric propulsion solutions for scientific missions previ-ously unattainable. The systems are compatible with spacecraft designs that can inherently provide power for addi-tional science instruments and faster data transfer rates. Scientists can open their options to highly inclined orbits of space, sample return or multiorbiter

NASA ISPT....continued from page 12

continued on page 14

14 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No.5, September 2008

....continued from page 13

missions, or deep-space rendezvous missions with more scientific studies and reduced trip times.

Chemical Propulsion: The ISPT proj-ect is also completing development of a bi-propellant chemical rocket. The Ad-vanced Material Bi-propellant Rocket, or AMBR engine, is a high temperature bi-propellant thruster that addresses the cost and manufacturability chal-lenges with iridium coated rhenium chambers (Fig. 2). It is expanding the operating environment to higher tem-peratures with the goal of achieving a 6 s increase in Isp for NTO/N2H4. This bi-propellant rocket promises to double thrust and increase Isp, in the same vol-ume at a lower cost. Current estimates indicate a cost savings of over 30% of conventional engines of this size and type. This effort was awarded via a competitive process to Aerojet Corpo-ration in FY2006. The current program will manufacture, hot-fire and environ-mentally test the AMBR engine, dem-onstrating the increased performance and technology readiness and validat-ing the new manufacturing techniques. The engine is progressing through the manufacturing process and is planned to be ready for testing at the end of FY2008. Once testing is complete, the AMBR thruster will have demonstrated readiness for application to NASA sci-ence missions and will result in more payload mass delivered for science missions. In addition, it is expected that the engine will find applications in the commercial sector.

The AMBR engine development will benefit missions with large propulsion maneuvers through the reduction of wet mass. The mass reduction benefits from the use of AMBR are dependent on the mission-specific ∆V required, but are estimated to be on the order of typical scientific instrument packages flown on previous missions.

Part II of this article, an overview of near-term ISPT products in the areas of aerocapture and thermal analysis, will be published in the November 2008 issue of the CPIAC Bulletin.

The Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 56th JANNAF Propulsion Meeting/39th Struc-tures and Mechanical Behavior/35th Propellant

and Explosives Development and Characterization/26th Rocket Nozzle Technology/24th Safety and Environ-mental Protection/17th Nondestructive Evaluation Joint Subcommittee Meeting will be held April 14-17, 2009, at the Renaissance Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Bruce R. Askins, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, is the Program Chair of this meeting, which had been pre-viously scheduled for May 2009. The Keynote speaker is Mr. Stephen A. Cook, Project Manager of the NASA ARES Vehicle Program, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Mr Cook’s Keynote, which is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15th, will be on the Ares I and Ares V Project as part of NASA’s future in leading the support of the Nation’s Vision for Exploration.

CPIAC will distribute the meeting announcement and call for papers in mid-September; please contact Patricia Szybist at pats@jhu.edu or 410-992-7302, ext. 215, if you do not receive a copy or require additional information.

Attendance at this JANNAF meeting is restricted to U.S. citizens whose orga-nizations are registered with an appropriately classified contract with the Defense Technical Information Center and certified for receipt of export-controlled techni-cal data with the Defense Logistics Information Service.

JANNAF to Convene in Las Vegas for JPM and Joint Subcommittee Meeting

(SMBS/PEDCS/RNTS/SEPS/NDES) April 14-17, 2009

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15 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 5, September 2008

In MemoriamJoseph G. Bendot

Mr. Joseph G. Bendot, whose distinguished career was defined by hypersonic ramjets and the beginnings of the scramjet age, died April 3, 2008. He was 81.

From his start in 1950 on a ramjet target drone, into the 1990s working on the National Aero Space Plane (NASP) pro-pulsion system, Mr. Bendot ad-vanced the science of high-speed airbreathing flight around the world.

Born in Pittsburgh, Mr. Bendot graduated from Washing-ton High School in Washington, Pennsylvania and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served as quartermaster aboard the USS Mercer until honorably discharged in 1946. He received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Pitts-burgh and his M.S. from the University of Southern Califor-nia.

For thirty-five of his fifty-plus years in the field, Ben-dot worked for The Marquardt Company where he advanced from propulsion engineer, to a 25-year stint as a program manager, and finally to Director of Engineering. His pro-

grams encompassed advanced, high Mach engine develop-ment that included the PLUTO Nuclear Ramjet, Ejector/SERJ combined cycle engines, LFRED, ASALM, ACIMD, AAAM, ducted and solid fueled ramjets, NASP, and many others. In addition, he served more than 30 years as a con-sultant to the USAF Intelligence Community.

Internationally, Mr. Bendot’s expertise was renowned in the ramjet area, especially within the former Soviet Union. He was the first American to tour the Central Institute of Aviation Motors (CIAM) Aircraft Research Center in Mos-cow in 1989 and was honored two years later with a Bond-aruck Award by the Russian Academy of Science and Avia-tion Federation for ramjet development work. Mr. Bendot lectured in England, Germany, India, France, China and the former USSR on multiple occasions. Upon his retirement from The Marquardt Company in 1991, he received the Dis-tinguished Engineering Achievement Award from the San Fernando Valley Engineers Council in California. He was a frequent participant in JANNAF Propulsion Meetings and authored over a dozen JANNAF papers.

Joseph G. Bendot was a great friend to many of us in the propulsion community and a major contributor to super-sonic/hypersonic propulsion development.

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Rosemary,

Here’s Joe’s picture.

Ron

From: Faulkner100@cs.com [mailto:Faulkner100@cs.com] Sent: Friday, August 15, 2008 11:00 AM To: Ron S. Fry Subject: Re: Joe Bendot's legacy

Here is a picture if you need one. He is in his home office wearing his college sweatshirt, of all things...

16 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No.5, September 2008

Propulsion News Highlights

ATK Awarded $97 Million Contract to Develop the Multi-Stage Supersonic Target for the U.S. NavySource: ATK, 2 September 2008

Alliant Techsystems announced that it has been awarded a $97 million contract for the design, development, integra-tion, and test of the Multi-Stage Supersonic Target (MSST) by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Mary-land. The system design and development phase of the program is expected to be complete by October 2012. The MSST will simulate a two-stage anti-ship cruise missile threat. It consists of a two-stage unmanned aerial target, a launcher, and associated support equipment. The U.S. Navy will use MSST to evaluate the operational effectiveness of weapons/com-bat systems against next-generation surface-to-surface anti-ship missiles that cruise at subsonic speeds, initiate a separa-tion event, and then make a supersonic dash to the intended target. Full press release: http://atk.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=847.

NASA Engineers Complete Engine Test Series for Ares I Rocket Source: NASA , 18 August 2008

Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Cen-ter in Huntsville, Ala., have completed a series of tests on a key component of the J-2X engine. The test on Aug. 15 was the last of 20 in this series, con-cluding the second of four planned sets of tests on the J-2X’s workhorse gas generator, the driver for the turbopumps which start the engine. The third phase of testing will begin in July 2009. The prima-ry objectives achieved in this series of tests were to regulate ignition timing and address stability issues in the gas chamber. During engine start, a pressur-ized helium system begins to turn the turbopumps, which draw liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen pro-pellants into the system. The propellants flow into the generator’s combustion chamber, where they are sparked into life by pyrotechnic igniters installed in the side of the main combustion chamber. Once combustion is initiated, hot gases flow into the tur-bine. The combustion gas provided by the generator drives the turbomachinery, which delivers high pressure propellants to the main injector during the J-2X burn. This testing allows engineers to address stability issues that can arise during opera-tion of the combustion chamber and will allow engineers to develop a clean design for the J-2X engine. Full press release: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/aug/HQ_08-208_Ares_engine_test.html.

Innovative Aerojet Propulsion System Power HSAD Flight Vehicle Source: Aerojet, 19 August 2008

Aerojet announced that its Integral Rocket Ramjet (IRR) propulsion system which incorporates a nozzleless booster and Variable-Flow Ducted Rocket (VFDR) ramjet technologies, powered a successful air-launched flight vehicle demonstration at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Aerojet’s propulsion system, developed for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Demonstration (HSAD) program, is designed to meet the evolving requirements for a long-range, reactive missile propul-sion system with near-term transition to the war-fighter. The HSAD program is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Air Warfare and Naval Weapons Applications (Code 352) with the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division/China Lake (NAWCWD/CL) serving as the program lead and system integrator. For the flight test, the controlled test ve-hicle (CTV) was successfully rail-launched from a QF-4 drone aircraft, accelerated to supersonic speed, and transitioned to supersonic sustain-phase ramjet flight using Aerojet’s VFDR ramjet propulsion system. The VFDR ramjet system features a responsive energy-management capability that provides the CTV with active propulsion throughout the entire sustain flight enabling flight at speeds much higher than standard solid propellant rocket-powered systems. Full press release: http://www.aerojet.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=140.

J-2X Test at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama.

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These excerpts have been taken from press releases approved for public release and reprinted with permission.

17 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 5, September 2008

thermal analyses of rocket motor components and systems.

In 1987, Dr. Lyon joined the Propulsion Directorate, U.S. Army Missile Command at Red-stone Arsenal. He started as a project engineer in the Systems Engineering Branch and became Chief of the System Engineering Function in 1988, a position he held until 1996 when he became Deputy Director, Propulsion and Structures Directorate, AMR-DEC. He served as Acting Director from January 1999 until September 2001, when he assumed the role of Director, Pro-pulsion and Structures Directorate. At this time, Dr. Lyon also joined the ranks of the Senior Executive Service.

Dr. Lyon is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Gamma Tau, Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Pi Mu, and Order of the Engineer, and he is Founding President of the Tennessee Valley Section of the American Society of Engineering Management. He has served as the Army missile representative on the Executive Committee of the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JAN-NAF) Interagency Propulsion Committee and as Program Committee member and Chair of the JANNAF Propulsion Meeting (JPM).

People in Propulsion

Dr. Mike Lyon, Director, Propulsion and Structures, AMRDEC, Retires

Dr. Mike Lyon

After nearly 36 years of service to the propulsion in-dustry, Dr. Mike Lyon retired on July 3, 2008. At the time of his retirement, Dr. Lyon was Director

of Propulsion and Structures, U.S. Army Aviation and Mis-sile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMR-DEC), Research Development and Engineering Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. As Director, he was responsi-ble for coordinating both science and engineering activities for rocket and missile warhead, propulsion, materials, and ground support equipment, and new technology research and development and support to existing fielded Army systems. Dr. Lyon was also a primary customer liaison between the AMRDEC and the aviation and missile communities.

Dr. Lyon holds both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering and En-gineering Management from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Early in his career, he worked for Pratt & Whitney Air-craft in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Thiokol Corporation in Huntsville, Alabama. In 1978, Lyon joined the Naval Ord-nance Station, Indian Head, Maryland, as a project engineer and rocket motor designer in the Surface and Underwater Branch of the Engineering Department. He went on to be-come the manager of the Analysis Branch within the En-gineering Department, conducting ballistic, structural, and

Page 13 CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 34, No. 3, May 2008

Touchstone Research Laboratory....continued from page 12

and improving manufacturing capabilities. Filament winding of MMC cylinders and other shapes can be accomplished in the same manner as described above. The resin, of course, must be replaced with aluminum, and the aluminum must be kept molten. The way the infi ltrated fi ber bundle is laid down and the build-up of plies or layers to form the desired laminate are completely analogous to a polymer composite wet fi lament winding process (See Figs. 1 and 2).

Materials and systems trade studies have consistently shown benefi ts to using MMC materials for motor cases. One trade study performed by a solid rocket motor prime contractor on a generic tactical missile showed a potential weight savings of 36% and an increase of 3% in delta velocity for a MMC case compared to the baseline metal case. A second trade study evaluated the potential performance of an advanced technology dual-pulse solid propellant motor design incorporating MMC case material. The MMC case option provided the potential for a 19% increase in idealized sea level delta velocity over that of the currently fi elded medium range air to air missile system. Preliminary testing and physics-based modeling have also indicated a potential benefi t in the area of IM. IM

testing and a static fi ring of MMC analog cases are being pursued in order to validate these predictions ( See Fig. 3). Some of this testing should be completed by end of FY08.

Signifi cant work remains to mature the capabilities of the current MMC fi lament winding process towards full-scale manufacturing of solid propellant motor cases. Touchstone will continue to work with the major rocket motor manufacturers in order to maximize the potential of transitioning this technology into the manufacturing sector.

Touchstone is also the developer of CFoam, a lightweight multi-functional carbon foam material, and CStone, a coal-based high density carbon material. For more information on Touchstone Research Laboratory and its technologies, please visit the company’s website at www.trl.com.

Figure 3. Static Firing of a Solid Rocket Motor with MMC Motor Case.

Have you been awarded a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract for propulsion-related development or design? Write about it and submit it to the CPIAC Bulletin so that we can share your news with our 5500 subscribers! Guidelines are available at http://www.cpia.jhu.edu/media/SBIR_Guidelines.pdf.

For additional information, contact CPIAC Editor Rosemary Dodds at 410-992-1905, ext. 219, or by e-mail to rdodds@jhu.edu.

The Rocket Motor Electronic Database (RMED) combines the assets of CPIAC’s standard solid propulsion reference manuals and other data sources to provide the most comprehensive and versatile source of solid propulsion for rockets, missiles, launch vehicles, jet-assist units, ejection devices, test vehicles, and orbit transfer. RMED contains motors that have been qualifi ed or, in the case of selected development motors, have successfully completed at least one static fi ring of a fl ightweight design.

RMED contains the entire unclassifi ed contents of CPIA/M1 and more. Over 400 rocket motor data records can be searched, displayed, and/or printed. RMED also contains unclassifi ed data on motors that have classifi ed performance or propellant characteristics. Users can search the database by Motor Name, Origin, Status, Application, Manufacturer, Motor Measurements, Propellant Characteristics, Hazard Class

RMED is a limited-distribution product, as prescribed by Department of Defense Directive 5230.24. Access is restricted to U.S. Government organizations and contractors who meet the requirements for receipt of militarily critical technical data and have a current contract registered with the Defense Technical Information Center. For more information and details about eligibility to receive CPIAC products and services, please call (410) 992-7300, ext. 212 or 211, or visit the CPIAC Web site at http://www.cpiac.jhu.edu. p j

Calendar of 2008 JANNAF MeetingsJANNAF 6th Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee (MSS)/4th Liquid Propulsion Subcommittee

(LPS)/3rd Spacecraft Propulsion Subcommittee (SPS) Joint Meeting

Date: December 8-12, 2008Abstract Deadline: Still accepting

Paper/Presentation/Paper Clearance Deadline: November 3, 2008

Hilton Walt Disney World; Orlando, FLPh. 407-827-4000/800-782-4414

(Refer to JCC for the government rate of $99.00/night; refer to LSM for the industry rate of $199.00/night)

Hotel Reservation Deadline: November 17, 2008Reg. Forms due at CPIAC by: November 24, 2008

56th JANNAF Propulsion Meeting (JPM) and 39th Structures and Mechanical Behavior Subcommittee (SMBS)/35th Propellant and Explosives Development and Characterization Subcommittee (PEDCS)/26th Rocket Nozzle Technology Subcommittee (RNTS)/24th Safety and Environmental Protection Subcommittee

(SEPS)/ and 17th Nondestructive Evaluation Subcommittee (NDES) Joint Meeting Date: April 14-17, 2009

Abstract Deadline: November 10, 2008Paper/Presentation/ Paper Clearance Deadline: April 6, 2009

Renaissance Las Vegas; Las Vegas, NVPh. 702-784-5700

(Refer to JANNAF government and JANNAF industry for room rates. )Hotel Reservation Deadline: TBD

For additional information on the above JANNAF meetings, contact CPIAC Meeting Planner Pat Szybist at 410-992-7302, ext. 215, or or by e-mail to pats@jhu.edu.

Visit the JANNAF Web site at www.jannaf.org for meeting updates.

Policy on Non-Government Attendees at JANNAF Meetings. Attendance at JANNAF meetings for non-government employees is restricted to U.S. citizens only and whose organizations are 1) registered with the Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) AND 2) have a government contract registered with the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). If the government contract is not registered with DTIC, the attendee’s registration form can be certified by a sponsoring government official from one of the participating JANNAF agencies. Additional information concerning registrations with DLIS and DTIC can be obtained by contacting DLIS at 1-800-352-3572 (www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/) or DTIC at 1-800-225-3842 (www.dtic.mil/dtic/registration/index.html).

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