Rocket Propulsion

Ujjwal K. Saha
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Guwahati-781 039, India
E-mail: saha@iitg.ac.in
 Rocket Engines

Thrust: Produced by ejecting

propellant products.

Propellant: Fuel + Oxidizer

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
Duct Jet Propulsion and Rocket Jet Propulsion

 An air-breathing engine (e.g. turbojet, turbofan,

etc.) takes in its oxygen from the atmosphere.

 A non air-breathing engine (e.g., rocket) carries

both the fuel and the oxidizer on board the
vehicle.
U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India
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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
 Rocket Engines

Properties:

 Carries its own propulsive agents

 Have no moving parts (in general)
 Gives high thrust for short-duration.

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
 Rockets, Missiles & Launch Vehicles

 A rocket becomes a missile

when the payload is a
warhead and it is used as a
weapon.

 A rocket is called a launch

vehicle when it is used to
launch a satellite or other
payload into space.
A Saturn V launch vehicle
sends Apollo 15 on its way to
the Moon.

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
Classification Based On
Energy Source

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
Classification Based On
Functions/Applications

 Satellite Launchers (Booster/Sustainer)

 Aircraft for Assisted Take-off
 Sounding Rockets
 Space Vehicles
 Missiles (Guided/Unguided)
 Auxiliary motors for guidance and control of vehicles

Guided Missiles: Flight path is controlled by radio signals

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
Classification Based On
No. of Stages/Units

o Single stage
o Two stage
o Multi stage

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
Classification Based On
Physical State of Propellants

Solid Propellant Rocket Motor

Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
 Chemical Propulsion

Energy Propellant Combustion

Gas Temperature = 2800 – 4400 K

Exhaust Velocity = 1800 - 4300 m/s.

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
Simple Rocket Thrust Chamber

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
Specific Impulse

F
I sp  (sec)
W
where F is the thrust, and W is the weight flow rate
of propellant.

 Isp is the Figure of Merit of Performance of a

Rocket Propulsion System similar in concept to
the miles per gallon parameter used with
automobiles.
 Solid Rocket Motor

 Simple with no feed system

 Control of thrust becomes difficult
 Small motor size due to high density
 No sloshing
 Specific Impulse = 200-300 sec

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
 Liquid Rocket Engines
 Relatively Complex
 Feed System (Gas Pump/Turbo Pump)
 Easier Control
 Start-stop-restart capabilities
 Specific Impulse = 250-450 sec

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
 Hybrid Rocket Engines

 Easier grain manufacturing, and low cost

 Safety during storage and operation
(because they are separate)
 Start-stop- restart capabilities
 Specific impulse is higher than Solid Rockets.

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
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 References
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Aerospace Vehicles, Mir Publishers, Moscow, 1974.

U K Saha, IIT Guwahati, India

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E-mail: saha@iitg.ernet.in
 Web Resources
1. http://www.google.com
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33. http://claudelafleur.qc.ca/Q10.html
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35. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/F_Spacecraft_Classification.html
36. http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/jplbasic/bsf9-1.htm
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41. http://www.space-propulsion.com/spacecraft-propulsion/propellant-tanks/manufacturing.html

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