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Yavin Backers

Mach 30 wishes to thank the following individuals and corporations for their support of the Yavin Thruster. Click the Donate button below to join them.

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Export Control Review

This review uses Mach 30's draft Export Control Review Process. The Export Control Task Force (ECTF) is responsible for the shape of and guidance through the review process. The project team is responsible for using the review process.

1. Define the project and related topics in writing for future reference

  1. Goals
    1. What is the vision of the project?
      The Yavin Thruster will be used at at universities across the country to bring hands on experiences into their propulsion courses and by Mach 30 to demonstrate rocket propulsion as part of its educational and outreach goals.
    2. What ultimate purpose does it serve?
      To facilitate the education of Mach 30 volunteers,undergraduate aerospace and high level high school students in Newton's laws of motion and rocket propulsion (f = ma, fundamental performance characteristics, fundamental design parameters) in a laboratory setting with instructor involvement. Unit will be able to be built with commonly available components and 3D printed parts.
    3. How does it fit into Mach 30’s strategy?
      Continued evolution of Mach30's R&D capabilities in rocket propulsion introducing propulsion system design in addition to the testing capabilities provided by the Shepard Test Stand.
    4. To what use will the results of the project be put?
      It will be the one half of a rocket propulsion educational kit, expanding Mach30's portfolio of open source spaceflight hardware projects.
  2. Technologies
    1. What is the core technology the project will work on?
      "A cold gas thruster is a rocket engine/thruster that uses a (typically inert) gas as the reaction mass" to propel the thruster and associated craft in a particular direction using Newton's three laws of motion. (Wikipedia, 2015 ) Undergraduate level rocket propulsion, structural mechanics, pneumatic controls, basic embedded systems instrumentation and control are all subsidiary enabling technologies.
    2. What other technologies are necessary to accomplish that work?
      3D printing, parametric CAD
    3. What words would an expert use to describe these technologies?
      1. Rocket Propulsion
      2. Additive manufacturing
      3. Pneumatic controls
      4. Embedded systems
      5. Instrumentation and control
      6. Parametric CAD
      7. Cold gas thruster
    4. What words would an average person use to describe these technologies?
      1. Rockets
      2. 3D Printing
      3. Pneumatics
      4. Arduino
      5. Sensors, valves, and actuators
      6. CAD
  3. Inputs and Outputs
    1. What are the project’s major milestones?
      1. Formal EC review
      2. Structural analysis of pressure vessel as a Python library. The library should be tested in MTK, producing a document verifying the library. The design should then be implemented in CADQuery.
      3. Model threaded connection for nozzle to cold gas source in CADQuery
      4. 3D Printed PLA properties test to verify that the material will hold up under pressure.
      5. Develop Yavin required calibration process for 3D printers to ensure optimal print quality in PLA. The process will be tested by verifying that it works successfully on another printer.
      6. Define the bell nozzle contour as a Python library. The library should be tested in MTK, producing a document verifying the library. The design should then be implemented in CADQuery.
      7. Replicate cold gas thruster design case from Space Propulsion Analysis and Design (SPAD) as a Python library. The library should be tested in MTK, producing a document verifying the library. The design should then be implemented in CADQuery (use an assumed thickness and a conical nozzle).
      8. Run a Mach 30 volunteer's 3D printer through at least 1 published calibration test and document results in a short report
    2. What previous projects does this one build off of?
      Shepard Test Stand
    3. What future projects will build off of this one?
      Next generation educational rocket test stand. It will be the one half of a rocket propulsion educational kit referenced in question 1.4 above.
    4. Does this project make use of any specialized, pre-existing knowledge?
      Undergraduate and graduate level rocket propulsion technologies as published in commonly available textbooks such as:
      1. Sellers, Jerry Jon, and William J. Astore. Understanding Space: An Introduction to Astronautics. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2005.
      2. Henry, Gary N. Space Propulsion Analysis and Design. "SPAD" New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995.
      3. Thomson, William Tyrrell. Introduction to Space Dynamics. New York: Dover, 1986.
      4. Ruiter, Anton H. J., and Christopher Damaren. Spacecraft Dynamics and Control: An Introduction. New York: Wiley, 2013.
      5. Wertz, James Richard. Spacecraft Attitude Determination and Control. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1994.
    5. Does this project have any measurable or tangible outcomes?
      Enables the development of the rocket propulsion education kit referenced in 1.4 above.
  4. Keywords
    1. What keywords/phrases summarize the previous answers?
      1. Rocket
      2. Propulsion
      3. Cold gas
      4. Nozzle
      5. Thruster
      6. Reaction
      7. Thrust
      8. RCS
      9. CGT
    2. What additional keywords/phrases are relevant?
      1. CAD
      2. Parametric
      3. Valve
    3. Put those keywords into a thesaurus; what other relevant keywords appear?
      1. Booster
      2. Impulse

2. Research the project’s relationship to relevant EC

  1. USML
    1. Follow the DDTC’s Order of Review Decision tool
      No hits
    2. Run all keywords identified in the previous steps through the text of the USML
    3. Run all keywords, along with words like “ITAR”, “USML” and “export control” through Google
  2. CCL
    1. Run all keywords identified in the previous step through the text of the CCL
    2. Run all keywords, along with words like “EAR”, “CCL” and “export control” through Google
  3. MTCR
    1. Run all keywords identified in the previous step through the text of the MTCR
    2. Run all keywords, along with words like “MTCR” and “export control” through Google

All searches outlined above are documented in the linked spreadsheet

3. Document findings

  1. Summarize the topic(s) that are explicitly mentioned in EC regulations and/or professional analysis/discussion of EC regulations
    The use of a cold gas thruster not designed for use is a specific vehicle in testing and education is not explicitly mentioned and/or is exempt from all known export control regulations; distribution unlimited.
  2. Explain any additional concerns
    None
  3. List searches and terms that turned up no relevant results
    1. Cold gas
    2. Nozzle
    3. Reaction
    4. Thrust
    5. Valve
    6. RCS
    7. CGT
    8. CAD
    9. Rocket
    10. Propulsion
    11. Parametric

4. Triggers

  1. If possible, define any measurable limits the project cannot cross and an appropriate margin for error
    Once Yavin designs and/or technologies are used in a launch vehicle or spacecraft, it becomes export controlled under both ITAR and the EAR.
  2. Specify, or guess at, any future dates when relevant information is expected to be become available
    N/A
  3. Maintain a clear distinction between information used as-is and any changes, additions, derivations, etc added by Mach 30
    Provided the CGT technologies are not used on aircraft, launch vehicles, or spacecraft, no restrictions are known to exist.

5. Reevaluate if a trigger is flipped.

Repeat this process if there are any major changes to the project. Update this report at each major milestone.

Yavin Thruster Initial Questions v0.1

Project Background Questions

BQ1. Why are we making this?

BA1. To create an educational project which combines both propulsion design and testing. In combination with the Shepard Test Stand technology yields a full turnkey package.

BQ2. Who is this for?

BA2. Undergraduate aerospace and high level high school students and Mach30 Volunteers.

BQ3. How will this be used?

BA3. Demonstrate fundamentals of propulsion systems design and testing of a cold gas thruster to include thrust, specific impulse, expansion ratio, chamber pressure, throat area, and controls.

BQ4. Who's going to build this?

BA4. Mach30 volunteers,undergraduate aerospace and high level high school students with instructor involvement. Unit will be able to be built with commonly available components and 3D printed parts.

Technical Requirement Questions

TQ1a. What features does it need to have (now)?

TA1a. The project needs to:

TQ1b. What features does it need to have (later)?

TA1b. In the future, the project (or related projects) may need to:

TQ2. What are the legacy requirements?

TA2. To maintain compatibility with other projects, the system should:

Project Requirement Questions

PQ1. How many do we want to make?

PA1. For V0.1, there should be at least two units built to demonstrate repeatability. For V1.0, since this is an easily constructed device with a strong educational component, it should be offered as a kit and would ideally see adoption into the curricula of many educational institutions as well as many interested private parties including Mach30 volunteers.

PQ2. What is the budget?

PA2. $850.00 for complete V0.1 per Mach30 2015 budget.

PQ3. What is the timeline?

PA3. Complete and demonstrated by the end of calendar year 2015.

PQ4. What waste products will be produced by the manufacture and/or operation of this?

PA4. Plastic scraps and 3D printed experimental components. Note that if PLA is used, these waste products will be biodegradable.

Media

OHS 2015 Presentation

insert presentation video here

Yavin Meeting Minutes

Sprint Planning Document (perpetually updated)

Sprint 1

Sprint 2

Sprint 3

Resources

Propulsion Links

3D Printing Links

CAD Links

Navigation

Yavin Thruster

Related Projects

Design Process

  1. Initial Questions
  2. Export Control Review
  3. Meeting Minutes/Notes
  4. Resources/Links

Yavin Cold Gas Thruster Wiki

Welcome to the the Yavin Thruster wiki. If you have ever wondered what makes rockets work or how engineers go about designing rocket engines, then this is the project for you. We are going to demonstrate how you can go from requirements to analysis and conceptual design (1) to detailed design (2) to manufacture (3) and ultimately test.

The Yavin Thruster is a cold gas thruster, a kind of rocket engine that creates thrust just from the energy stored in a compressed gas. Our goal is to make the Yavin Thruster accessible by anyone, so we are using modern design and manufacturing techniques (like parametric modeling, 3D printing) and commonly available components (like consumer grade air compressors).

We are still in the early phases of this project so this is a great time to jump on board. Introduce yourself on our Forums and then check out our answers to the list of Initial Questions to get an overall sense of where the project is going. Check out the Meeting Minutes/Notes for the latest news on our progress. Finally, our Export Control Review and Resources/Links have lots of good background material.