Development of an Alternative Launch Abort System for Project Orion

1
Development of an Alternative Launch Abort System
for Project Orion

• 3/31/08
• North Carolina State University
• Department of Mechanical and
• Aerospace Engineering
•  
• Jon Rybacki Team Lead
• Keegan Brochu
• Timothy Cobb
• Aaron Morris

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Problem Statement

• Develop proof-of concept design for a launch
  abort system by
• Demonstrating launch pad abort tests
• Computationally simulating the dynamics of the
  system

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What is a Launch Abort System?

• Safe and reliable system
• Separates manned module from rocket stack
• Saves the lives of astronauts in case of
  emergency
• For Orion, NASA wants the LAS to have 10 15 g
  acceleration for 2 sec

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Flight Test Article

• Goals
• Design and build a FTA for a mock abort
• Conduct a minimum of 6 successful instrumented
  tests
• Mimic the Orion Launch Abort System
• Shape
• Density
• Moments of Inertia
• Thrust to weight ratio

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Flight Test Article
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What is a 6 Degree of Freedom Simulation?

• Independent motion in axial directions and
  angular displacements
• Fully realizes motion from any number of forces
  on system
• Based on Newtons Second Law of Motion

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How the Simulation is being Used

• Design process decisions
• Streamer sizing
• Ejection charge delay timing
• Theorize motion of the system
• Compare simulated results to flight test data
  from in article accelerometers

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Simulation Run
Inertial Frame Displacements

• Random ignition timing rockets
• Maximum altitude 225 ft
• Maximum velocity 140 ft/s
• Flight time 11 s

200
100
Displacements (ft)
0
0
12
6
Time (s)
Body Frame Velocities
120
80
40
Velocities (ft/s)
0
0
6
12
Time (s)
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Pre-launch Tests

• Rocket tests
• Thrust profiles
• Ignition timings
• Drop tests
• Size parachutes
• Test durability of the shell
• Strapped Down Launch
• Releasing mechanism
• Guide rod interaction
• Nose cone seperation

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Flight Tests

• Successful abort criteria
• Streamer deployment
• Stable flight path
• Quickly leaves
• launch area
• Technical difficulties
• Non-simultaneous
• ignitions
• Misfiring of rocket
• Goals
• Observe how
• streamers affect flight
• Compare telemetry to simulation

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Flight Test Video
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Moving Towards a Full Scale Model

• Hypergolic rockets to improve ignition timing
  issues
• Explosive bolts would ensure all rockets have
  fired
• Small control tower to provide active controls
• Similar to Shuttle Reaction Control System (RCS)
• Gimbaled nozzles to provide initial maneuvering
• Similar to Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME)
• Streamer is a simplistic way for providing
  passive control

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Results and Conclusions

• The boast protective cover
• Improves aerodynamic performance
• Houses abort rockets with no increase in diameter
  of launch vehicle
• Streamer
• Increases stability
• Increases drag
• Future of the project

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Questions