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Propulsion Card Storming¶

Covers fuel & oxidizer storage, injector, combustion chamber, nozzle, and anything necessary to keep those items “stable”

Unsorted list of ideas¶

• Indoor test stand for testing a compressed air cold gas thruster
• 3D printed cold gas thruster for use on an indoor test stand
• staging hobby and high-powered rocket motors
• develop a series of larger test stands scaled around the classes of model and high powered rocketry certifications
• recreate Greg's undergrad sugar hybrid motor
• upgrade Mach 30 test stand DAQ to include high speed video
• develop Arduino (or similar) model rocket launch controller board (including physical safety lock)
• upgrade Mach 30 test stand DAQ to work over ethernet to extend operational range between operators and test stand
• series of courses/kits to take users through high powered rocketry certs (required to purchase high powered motors)
• Learn about and be comfortable using Reloadable rocket motors
• Distributed laboratory software
• Re-lightable motors, turn off and back on (means hybrid, or liquid engine, but not solid)
• Ramp up test stand prototypes by increments of High-power certification levels
• Storage and handling of cryogenic liquids?
• Simulation, analysis, design and testing of cooling systems (for combustion chamber, nozzle, and throat)
• Variable nozzle designs
• Flow visualization
• Nozzle comparison (Aerospike to traditional designs)
• Injector design (fuel and/or oxidizer) to maximize combustion efficiency
• Research Test stand configurations (vertical in addition to horizontal)
• Survey the existing instructions and informational materials for building engines and motors.
• Move from testing commercial off-the-shelf items (motors and engines) to building and testing custom built items.
• Address Instrumentation: how to collect data on motor tests.
• Material and manufacturing techniques for nozzles (3-D printed)
• Open source software altitude and flight profiles - Performance calculations
• Study fuel grain design (parameters) to optimize burn profile
• Logistics, procedures, and infrastructure for Pay-for-testing, using Mach 30 equipment (income generation)
• 3-D printed fuel grains
• Research additional income streams RE: Propulsion (educational kits, grants, etc) - We can add this to all subsystems?
• Linear aerospike studies
• Combustion chemistry, develop open source software tools (NOTE: See NASA CEA)
• Environmental simulation and testing (expanding flight envelope)
• High operations tempo, flight rate motors.
• Non-chemical propulsion (however this is low TRL/maturity)
• Developing refueling ground equipment “on the tarmac”
• Focus on maintainability, ease of operations.
• Procedures and equipment for “mode 2 operations” for simulation and testing
• Focus on safety procedures (not just during tests).
• Operational Countdown Checklist as it relates to the propulsion engine test checklist procedures.
• Develop a cultural delineation between “Operations or Test staff” and “Design staff” -- Maybe eventually specialize into 3 groups
• Handbook for stakeholder collaboration (state, local, federal agencies and regulations)
• Rules of thumb for Launch/test site size space, in handbook form.
• Develop relationships with potential test sites
• Acoustic, Vibration, Acceleration simulation and testing.
• Procedures to optimize, advertize, public viewing and interaction SAFELY.
• Remote viewing (Cameras for online streaming video streaming) to maximize audience.
• Rocket exhaust plume studies (morse code??)
• Ground operations communications equip and procedures.
• Disaster recovery plan for catastrophic mishap.
• Procurement/development of transportation and handling equipment for stands and motors (flatbed trailers, etc)