Samara Scientists and Students Have Developed an Eco-friendly Engine Model for Ultralight Launch Vehicles

Samara University scientists and students have developed an eco-friendly engine model for ultralight launch vehicles. Samara development will help reduce the cost of launches and make them safer in terms of ecology.

"As part of the implementation of the Advanced Aerospace Engineering School program, at Samara University is developing modifications of liquid rocket engines designed for ultralight launch vehicles. This project is being implemented with the support of specialists from PJSC ODK-Kuznetsov which is an industrial partner of our University. We have initiated our own development of a propulsion system based on innovative fuel components. Such an engine can be used on ultralight launch vehicles: it will run on a more environmentally friendly fuel than usual — a fuel mixture of kerosene and nitrous oxide," said Ivan Zubrilin, Director of the Engineering Center of Samara University.

Specialists from the Space Energy Research Center of Samara University and the staff of the student design bureau created at the University participated in the development. The bureau called Phoenix was based on students from the Institute of Engines and Power Plant Engineering and the Institute of Aerospace Engineering of the University, including students studying under the Wings of Rostec program and already working at the ODK-Kuznetsov enterprise.

"Some domestic low-thrust liquid rocket engines, used, for example, on upper stages of launch vehicles, unfortunately, use very toxic fuel components, for example, the AT + NDMG fuel pair, that is, nitrogen tetraoxide and heptyl. The undoubted advantages of these fuel components are high energy characteristics, the possibility of long-term storage and self-ignition upon contact, which eliminates the need to use an ignition system. However, in the event of a launch accident these substances cause significant damage to the environment and human health. In addition, standard fuel components are expensive to operate — special materials for tanks and pipelines are needed for their storage and injection, and, for example, nitrogen tetraoxide used as an oxidizer requires maintaining a constant temperature in a narrow range in outer space conditions. Replacing highly toxic fuel components with more environmentally friendly ones would reduce environmental harm and reduce the cost of commercial launches of micro- and nanosatellites," said Ilya Matveev, one of the project developers, a student at the Institute of Engines and Power Plants Engineering of Samara University.

According to the results of thermodynamic calculations, the developers chose aviation kerosene of the T-1 brand and nitrous oxide as a fuel pair. This pair meets the requirements of environmental cleanliness, safety of use, transportation and storage to the greatest extent and has high energy characteristics. The nozzle of the future engine with the original cooling scheme was designed for the use of this fuel pair. The nozzle together with the cooling jacket will be manufactured as a single part by selective laser sintering on a 3D printer.

"The production of a prototype engine has already begun and an experimental base for testing is being prepared. We plan to conduct the first tests this autumn," Ivan Zubrilin said.

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The Advanced Aerospace Engineering School “Integrated Technologies in Development of Aerospace Engineering” (ITAE), which is the Samara University’s structural unit, was established in 2022 as part of the federal project of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation "Advanced Engineering Schools". The main challenge of the school is to develop integrated solutions to accelerate the creation and modernization of aerospace products, as well as the training of engineering personnel. The key industrial partners of Samara University, SRC Progress JSC, which is part of the Roscosmos State Corporation, as well as PJSC ODK-Kuznetsov of the United Engine Corporation became the queen in the implementation of the ITAE project.