Settled Cryogenic Propellant Transfer

Kutter, Bernard; Zegler, Frank; Sakla, Steve; Wall, John H.; Hopkins, Josh; Saks, Greg; Duffey, Jack; Chato, David J.

doi:10.2514/6.2006-4436

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…During past in-flight demonstrations, the Centaur rocket has demonstrated effective propellant control at 10 4 m s 2 [3]. During past in-flight demonstrations, the Centaur rocket has demonstrated effective propellant control at 10 4 m s 2 [3].…”

Section: Coasting Phasementioning

confidence: 99%

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Hydrogen in Space Applications

Lacapère¹

2016

Hydrogen Science and Engineering : Materials, Processes, Systems and Technology

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Section: Coasting Phasementioning

confidence: 99%

“…A settling phase (or reorientation phase) is thus performed to get the liquid at the tank bottom [3,4]. A simple solution consists in performing a depressurization followed by helium pressurization.…”

Section: Re-ignition Preparation Phasementioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrogen in Space Applications

Lacapère¹

2016

Hydrogen Science and Engineering : Materials, Processes, Systems and Technology

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“…While Centaur upper stages continue to be used for evolved expendable launch vehicles (EELV), start baskets were never installed into the propellant tanks. Several low-g CFM experiments were proposed [149] and modifications to convert the Centaur upper stage into a cryogenic test bed were conceived, but they never came to fruition [150][151][152].…”

Section: E Cryogenic Propellant Historical Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Detailed Historical Review of Propellant Management Devices for Low Gravity Propellant Acquisition

Hartwig

2016

52nd AIAA/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference

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This paper presents a comprehensive background and historical review of Propellant Management Devices (PMDs) used throughout spaceflight history. The purpose of a PMD is to separate liquid and gas phases within a propellant tank and to transfer vapor-free propellant from a storage tank to a transfer line en route to either an engine or receiver depot tank, in any gravitational or thermal environment. The design concept, basic flow physics, and principle of operation are presented for each type of PMD. The three primary capillary driven PMD types of vanes, sponges, and screen channel liquid acquisition devices are compared and contrasted. For each PMD type, a detailed review of previous applications using storable propellants is given, which include space experiments as well as space missions and vehicles. Examples of previous cryogenic propellant management are also presented.

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“…This is because at 1-g, gravity quickly settles the incoming stream to the liquid pool at the bottom of the tank making the use of propellant management devices a challenge. been used very effectively on all cryogenic upper stage flights to feed liquid to fluid acquisition in the Drop Tank during liquid transfer 19 . Liquid injection into a tank typically requires venting of the gas that is in the tank and any evolved gas in space, the momentum of the entering liquid will result in a liquid gas mixture challenge.…”

Section: E Cryogenic Transfermentioning

confidence: 99%

Distributed Launch - Enabling Beyond LEO Missions

Kutter

2015

AIAA SPACE 2015 Conference and Exposition

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Mission planners currently are limited by the mass rockets can launch to the desired destination. Mir and the International Space Station (ISS) have bypassed this limitation by transporting hardware into orbit across numerous launches. So far this tact has not been employed for destinations beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This paper describes the use of multiple launches (potentially of different rockets) and propellant transfer to enable missions that are impossible today. Such missions include very large National Security Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO) satellites that are beyond the Delta Heavy Launch Vehicle capability, Commercial resupply of Cis-Lunar stations, or missions to the Moon and Mars. The method of launching cryogenic propellant, storing it for weeks or months in a disposable Drop Tank, and then transferring the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into a cryogenic upper stage such as Centaur, Delta Cryogenic Second Stage, or Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES) to propel the mission to the desired destination, is coined "Distributed Launch". This paper describes the Distributed Launch concept and summarizes relevant Atlas/Centaur and Delta flight results and ongoing testing at ULA, Yetispace and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) supporting the required enabling capabilities. The current technology readiness level of enabling technologies will be described along with the ongoing technology development at ULA that will enable distributed launch in the near future.

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Settled Cryogenic Propellant Transfer

Cited by 11 publications

References 3 publications

Hydrogen in Space Applications

Hydrogen in Space Applications

A Detailed Historical Review of Propellant Management Devices for Low Gravity Propellant Acquisition

Distributed Launch - Enabling Beyond LEO Missions

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