Home
Internal
Program
Projects
Oil Free Turbine Engine Technology
Ultra Safe Propulsion
Smart Efficient Components
Higher Operating Temperature Components
Pulsed Detonation Engine Technology Project
Combined Cycle Propulsion
RLV Airbreathing Propulsion Design
3rd Generation Propulsion R&T
Zero C02 Research
Revolutionary Aeropropulsion Components
Propulsion Fundamental Research
Research Facility Investments
Fundamental Noise
Supersonic Propulsion Technology
Nanotechnology
Web Broadcast
Educational

Point of Contact:
Dr. Gary Seng

Web Developer:
Rick Cowin


NASA Glenn Research Center

 

Combined Cycle Propulsion

 

GTX Rocket Based Combined Cycle

Objective Technical Summary Milestones

Project Objectives

Hypersonic propulsion systems respond to the following Aeronautics Technology objectives:

  • Objective 6: Safety - Make space travel as safe as today's air travel. Reduce the incidence of crew loss by a factor of 40 by 2010 and by a factor of 100 by 2025.

  • Objective 7: Cost - Reduce the cost of taking payloads to orbit. Reduce the cost of delivering a payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by a factor of ten by 2010, and reduce the cost of inter-orbital transfer by a factor of ten by 2015. Reduce costs for both by an additional factor of ten by 2025.

  • Objective 10: Technology Innovation - Develop the revolutionary technologies and technology solutions that enable fundamentally new aerospace system capabilities or new aerospace missions.

Investment areas and their specific objectives include:

  • Rocket-Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) Propulsion:

Develop and test propulsion system technologies to demonstrate the viability of RBCC propulsion for reusable single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) space transportation and the potential for RBCC propulsion to reduce costs.

  • Advanced Cycle Propulsion

Develop and test propulsion system technologies to demonstrate the viability of advanced air-breathing cycle propulsion for space transportation and other NASA priorities. The goals of this project are:

The goals of this project are:

  • by 2002, to convene a workshop to identify emerging advanced cycle air-breathing propulsion system technologies for applications across the range of NASA's needs, and to identify those technologies with high payoff and relatively near-term promise;

  • by 2003, to complete component and initial propulsion system research with the GTX accelerator-class RBCC propulsion system, and transfer this technology to the Propulsion Research & Technology project; and

  • by 2006, through analysis and experimentation, to narrow the suite of promising advanced air-breathing propulsion system research options to those that will replace RBCC, TBCC, and PDE as the next major air-breathing technology options for safer, faster, and lower cost aerospace transportation.

[Top of Page]

 

Technical Summary

The Combined Cycle Propulsion project is structured to focus on RBCC as the primary investment area to provide technology to enable low cost access to space. Because of the high level of risk involved in RBCC technology development, a smaller effort in advanced cycle technologies is being maintained. The advanced cycles effort highly leverages prior work, funded by this project in previous years, that was focused on atmospheric high-speed flight.


[Top of Page]

 

Milestones

Milestone Output Outcome
Complete rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) propulsion inlet, mixer-combustor, and integrated propulsion pod component validation for semi-axisymmetric vertical take-off systems. (09/01). Ground test demonstration that RBCC propulsion system components are feasible that are consistent with an integrated propulsion/vehicle system performance of 500 seconds equivalent effective specific impulse and a dry mass fraction of 20%. Rocket-based combined cycle propulsion component technology validated as consistent with enabling 100X launch cost reduction.
Complete GTX rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) propulsion systems component testing and component, propulsion system, and vehicle systems analysis to support initiation of integrated flight-like propulsion system research testing. (9/03). Fundamental component research completed. Propulsion system analysis and supporting research conducted. GTX Rocket-based combined cycle propulsion technology in a state of readiness for initiation of integrated flight-like propulsion system research testing.
Validate RBCC component technology readiness for integration into flight-like propulsion research testing (9/02). GTX RBCC component test data and analyses. Validation of propulsion-system-level RBCC propulsion component concepts, including rocket and combined rocket-ramjet performance and operation.
Identify advanced air-breathing propulsion research concepts for detailed research and analysis (9/05) Analysis and test results sufficient to validate concept-level performance benefits and readiness for further research. Selection of the next suite of specific advanced air-breathing propulsion system research projects for NASA's most pressing needs.
Complete workshop on advanced air-breathing propulsion cycles (6/02) Identification of high payoff, relatively near-term propulsion system concepts prioritized against NASA needs. Selection of concepts for more specific analysis and experimentation in the Combined Cycle Propulsion project in 03-06.

[Top of Page]