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WP3 – MAIN PROPULSION

Student Aerospace Challenge

(WP3 - Main Propulsion)

Rémy HAYNAU - Maxime JACQUIN - Pierre-Emmanuel RICHARD - Florian WAEBER

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne

The group of students from EPFL has

executed the sizing of the primary

propulsion system for a suborbital manned

vehicle (VSH). The mission’s objective is to

maximize

the

weightlessness

time

experienced by the passengers, while

keeping in mind the comfort and security

aspects necessary for the flight to be

enjoyable.

Schematics of the trajectory of a manned

suborbital mission

The proposed solution goes through a

systems analysis. The four interdependent

sub-systems are:

the engine power cycle

the combination of fuel and

oxidizer

the nozzle function of the

trajectory

The pooling of the results of each

subsystem allows for the optimization of the

final solution. It is based on the propulsion

performances, the reusability of the module,

the environmental impact and the security of

passengers. The obtained solution is based

on a classic rocket engine architecture: an

expander cycle with regenerative cooling

fed with butane and liquid oxygen.

Special care was given to the choice of the

fuel which converged towards butane for its

good theoretical propulsion and cooling

performances, in addition to being easily

storable. This is what brings this study

which may seem classical at first sight, to an

innovative solution proposition.

The expander cycle with regenerative cooling

The proposed propulsion module is

reusable; this property is obtained by

minimizing mechanical and thermal

constraints within the engine during

operation. The solution offers good

performances while insuring the vehicle’s

structural integrity as well as the

passengers’ security.