S wiss P ropulsion L aboratory

1. Swiss PropulsionLaboratory At a glance

2. Switzerland is a founding member of ESA (ca. 130 Mio. €/y) Universities: Rosetta space probe, biol. experiments for ISS etc. Lot‘s of high tech companies, only few into space technologies, none in propulsionTwo Examples: Switzerland and it‘s Space Industry

3. Founded by 3 engineers (today: 7 members and additional helpers) in autumn 98 as a non-profit research organization. Financed by priv. funds and sponsoring (ARO-TECHNOLOGIES) Founding of SPL • Aims: • Development of launch sytems for small payloads (X-Bow launcher family) • Main focus: Design, build and test propulsion related components and equipment like injectors, comb. chambers, (cryogenic) valves, igniters, pressurization systems, complete thrust test stands etc. • Close cooperation with universities, companies and other research groups

4. Projects • Pre-SPL Projects • X-Bow Launcher Family • Australian AUSROC 2.5 • Solid Propulsion • Misc./Infrastructure

5. In the years 1994 to 1997 ARO TECHNOLOGIES developed various components for the project „Stingray“. ARO TECHNOLOGIES Pre-SPL History Click on picture to start movie

6. Projects • Pre-SPL Projects • X-Bow Launcher Family • Australian AUSROC 2.5 • Solid Propulsion • Misc./Infrastructure

7. X-Bow I

8. Tridyne gas is catalyticaly „burned“ in a catalyst. It consists of a low percentage of Hydrogen/Oxygen mixed in a inert gas like Helium or Nitrogen. A typical SPL Tridyne test device: X-Bow ITridyne

9. X-Bow ITridyne

10. 10 kN thrust, combustion pressure 2.5 MPa Propellant: LOX and Kerosene or Ethyl Alcohol, m~ 4 kg/s Electrical torch igniter makes the engine restartable X-Bow I Engine

11. Current work: 10 kN modular test injector with 19 removable elements. Prepared for film-cooling X-Bow I Engine

12. Triplet injectors (2 fuel, 1 LOX), film cooling Cold spray tests in a high pressure environment up to 6 MPa done by students at FHBB(droplets size and velocity measured by a LDA) X-Bow I Engine

13. Ablatively or regeneratively cooled combustion chamber Regenerative cooled variant: Copper liner with machined cooling channels and an outer shell of electro plated nickel. Low cost variant: Aluminum-Liner and saddle design X-Bow I Engine

14. Successful test of a 2.5 kN subscale low-cost combustion chamber made of aluminum. X-Bow I Engine Click on picture to start movie

15. Successful test of a 2.5 kN subscale low-cost combustion chamber made of aluminum. At full throttle… X-Bow I Engine Click on picture to start movie

16. Projects • Pre-SPL Projects • X-Bow Launcher Family • Australian AUSROC 2.5 • Solid Propulsion • Misc./Infrastructure

17. AUSROC 2.5 LOX/Kerosene, 3o kN thrust, 6m tall. SPL supports the project with pressurization equipments and other devices. Altitude: ~40 km. Movie AUSROC 2

18. AUSROC 2.5 Staging mechanism: Designed and build by FHNW students. More info’s about AUSROC: www.asri.org.au

19. Projects • Pre-SPL Projects • X-Bow Launcher Family • Australian AUSROC 2.5 • Solid-Propulsion • Misc./Infrastructure

20. Goal: Elaborate the knowledge to design, build and fire solid rocket motors (AP-HTPB-Al Composite) Testing of highly efficient burning rate catalysts like CATOCENE => burning rates up to 25 mm/s @ 7 MPa Various test motors up to an impulse of 20 kNs and thrust of 12 kN Solid Propulsion

21. Solid propulsionTETHIS Motor • Impulse 20 kNs, thrust 8 kN, 4 stacked grains (81% solids) • Ignited by a pyrogen Magnesium/Teflon igniter • Series of Tethis motors successful tested in April 2002 Click on picture to start movie

22. Pyrogen igniters are small rocket motors initiated by smaller pyrotechnic charges (Squibs) Solid PropulsionIgniters

23. Solid PropulsionIgniters

24. Solid PropulsionMagnesium/Teflon igniter

25. Projects • Pre-SPL Projects • X-Bow Launcher Family • Australian AUSROC 2.5 • Solid Propulsion • Misc./Infrastructure

26. Test bench for Turbo pumps MiscellaneousProjects Turbines and pumps up to 200 kW and 60‘000 rpm can be tested here Click on picture to start movie

27. All kinds of conventional and NC machine tools, EDM, ECM CAD/FEM/CAM/CFD tools available DAQ equipment: 64 channels, 100 kSp/s 4 channels , 500 MSp/s Hydro test equipment 100 MPa Vacuum chamber , 24 m3, 1000 Pa Pressure converter, allows to compress any kind gas mixtures to pressures up to 100 MPa (for example the Tridyne gas mix) Indoor test stand for small thrusters, igniters, gas generators 100 kN thrust test stand Sound suppressing System for engines up to 100 kN And much more ... Infrastructure

28. For solids and liquids exchangeable load cells 25 and 100 kN Measuring table mounted on hysteresis-free flex joints integrated safety stops Infrastructure Thrust Test Stand

29. Sound suppressing system (12m long stainless tube, with baffles, embedded in 20 t sand) High power fan Ex-proof test cell Infrastructure Thrust Test Stand

30. Test cell Infrastructure Thrust Test Stand Start MTW-Movie to get an impression of the infrastructure

31. 5 axis CNC milling machines, CNC lathe Access to underground detonic laboratory with high-speed X-Ray recording Infrastructure Other examples

32. Further development of regenerative cooled engines up to 100 kN Participation in the ENTERPRISE project Development of the engines Propellant feeding system, pressurization etc. Launch of AUSROC 2.5 equipped with SPL Tridyne system Development of the X-Bow I airframe Various projects with commercial and governmental partners The Near Future at SPL

33. Questions ? Contact and further info‘s: WWW.SPL.CH