• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2020

Upper stage of launch vehicle mainly injects a lunar explorer from low earth orbit to the moon at a distance of 380,000 km. In foreign lunar explorer, the upper stage is separated from the explorer after the explorer is injected into the earth-moon transfer trajectory, and the lunar explorer then uses on-board propellant to carry out mid-course correction maneuvers and lunar orbit insertion maneuvers. This study describes a newly presented small liquid upper stage. Using a small liquid upper stage with a wet mass of 2.9 tonnes, the lunar explorer not only can be injected earth-moon transfer trajectory but also can be performed lunar orbit insertion. This study provides acceptable mass range of the lunar explorer and the scope of acceptable mission range also describes based on the launch from Naro Space Center.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.54-63
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• 2022

A 3-tonf class liquid rocket engine that powers the upper stage of a small launcher and lifts 500 kg payload to 500 km SSO is designed. The small launcher is to utilize the flight-proven technology of the 75-tonf class engine for the first stage. A combination of liquid oxygen and liquid methane has been selected as their cryogenic states can provide an extra boost in specific impulse as well as enable a weight saving via the common dome arrangement. An expander cycle is chosen among others as the low-pressure operation makes it robust and reliable while a specific impulse of over 360 seconds is achievable with the nozzle extension ratio of 120. Key components such as combustion chamber and turbopump are designed for additive manufacturing to a target cost. The engine system provides an evaporated methane for the autogenous pressurization system and the reaction control of the stage. This upper stage propulsion system can be extended to various missions including deep space exploration.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.107-121
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• 2020

The performance analysis of the small satellites launch vehicle using the electric pump cycle as the upper stage engines was performed. The first stage is the launch vehicle that uses the test launch vehicle of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle II and the second stage employs elecpump cycle engine that uses liquid methane and kerosene (RP-1) as fuel. A model for the mass estimation was presented and the analysis was conducted for the range of thrust of 20 to 40 kN and combustion pressure of 3 to 6 MPa with a nozzle expansion ratio of 60 to 100. The mixture ratio with the maximum velocity increment was calculated and the performance of the LEO and SSO payload were calculated from the stage mass estimation. In both the cases, liquid methane, and RP-1 showed maximum payload for 20 kN thrust, 3 MPa combustion pressure, and the nozzle expansion ratio of 100, with a mixture ratio of 3.49 for liquid methane and 2.75 for RP-1. In addition, the ditching points of the first stage and the fairing in the LEO mission were analyzed using ASTOS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.54-65
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• 2022

We are developing a compact ignition device that can provide a multi-ignition capability for an upper stage methane engine of a two staged small satellite launch vehicle. Firstly, the multi-ignition device is designed and built as an integral part of an additively manufactured mixing head. Secondly, the ignition device requires no separate high-pressure vessels to store ignition propellants as they are branched out from the main feed lines for the mixing head. We performed experiments at various levels, including igniter autonomous tests, thrust chamber ignition and combustion tests on the new compact ignition device which is integrated in the thrust chamber of one-tonf class liquid oxygen/liquid methane engine, and confirmed stable ignition performance.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2024

Adopting an engine igniter with high efficiency and ignition performance is essential for reliable operation of liquid rocket engines. In this study, we developed a spark torch igniter for a 450 N-scale methane-oxygen liquid rocket engine by conducting numerical analyses, igniter manufacturing and validation. Specifically, we conducted a parametric study for maximizing the enthalpy at the igniter exit, specifically by adjusting the mass flow rate, nozzle area ratio, fuel-oxidizer mixture ratio, and the igniter length-to-diameter. The heat transferred via the igniter nozzle exit was computed using 3-dimensional numerical simulations. We also manufactured and tested the igniter based on a deduced design to confirm ignition performance of the designed spark torch igniter. The igniter developed through this study could contribute to the development of practical propulsion systems such as upper-stage engines of small launch vehicles.