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SMALL INNOVATIVE LAUNCHER FOR EUROPE
CRITICAL ENGINE TECHNOLOGY WP2
HYBRID ENGINE - ARCHITECTURAL

DESIGN DOCUMENT - PUBLISHABLE
SUMMARY (D2.5)
DOC ID: S M L - N A M MO - H E A D D - P U/ 2 00 3
ISSUE: 1A
DATE: 1 8 . 08 . 20 17
D I S S E M I N A T I O N : C O N F I D E N T I A L (C O ) – FOR PROJECT PARTNER S ONLY
Date: 18 Aug 2017

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
This document and the information it contains are property of NAMMO Raufoss AS (NAMMO). It shall not be used for
any purpose other than those it was supplied for. This document may not be copied, reproduced, or disclosed in whole
Version: 1
or in part to any Third Party with the prior written permission of NAMMO Raufoss AS (NAMMO) or in accordance with
the terms of the SMILE Consortium Agreement (EU Grant Agreement No. 687242).
Doc.No.: 2095355
“This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under
State: Released
grant agreement No 687242”.

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COPYRIGHT © 2017 NAMMO Raufoss AS (NAMMO)

Controlled by PDM. State: Released Doc.No.: 2095355 Version: 1 Date: 18 Aug 2017
SMALL INNOVATIVE LAUNCHER FOR EUROPE PUBLIC
HYBRID ENGINE - ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN DOCUMENT - ISSUE 1A, 18.08.2017

PUBLISHABLE SUMMARY (D2.5)
Summary
As a deliverable for WP2 “Critical Propulsion Technology” of the SMILE project, Nammo proposes
insights in the architecture of the stages based on its hybrid propulsion technology.
In a first section, Nammo’s hybrid technology as it has been developed so far is presented, with focus
on its upscaled hybrid motor, the Unitary Motor, its current status and foreseen upgrades.
It follows a section on the components taken into account in Nammo’s analysis and design of the
hybrid stages. The full propulsion system has been modelled in a hybrid stage numerical design tool
capable to provide a preliminary sizing of the propulsion system whose results can be feed to the full
launcher optimization. An iteration process is then put in place between the partners to find an
architecture satisfying the requirements, both in terms of performances and cost. The future
upgrades of the code are also presented in this section.
Finally, the current design of the hybrid stages, as obtained after the final design loop of this
architectural phase of the project, is presented, with a justification for the design choices. The
current architecture is built on a cluster of 4 hybrid motors for the first stage, a single hybrid motor
of the exact same design, save for the nozzle exit cone, for the second stage and a single small hybrid
Date: 18 Aug 2017

motor for the third stage.
This is the final version of the document, proposed as deliverable for the mid-term review of the
project, held in the premises of Tecnalia in San Sebastian, Spain, the 06th September 2017.
Version: 1
Doc.No.: 2095355
State: Released
Controlled by PDM.
Disclosure, distribution or use of this document or any of the information

© Nammo Raufoss AS - 2017
contained herein is subject to the restrictions on the cover page of this document Page |3

Contents
1 Introduction 6
1.1 Background 6
1.2 Purpose 7
1.3 Reference documents 8
2 Nammo Hybrid Technology 9

2.1 History of Hybrid Development in Nammo 9
2.2 The Unitary Motor 11
2.3 Upgrades of the Unitary Motor 15
2.3.1 Expected mass gain for the UM1 with the upgrades 16
2.3.2 Higher Thrust motors, the UM2 16
2.3.3 Motor sizes for SMILE 16
3 Components of the Launcher’s Hybrid Motor Stages 17

3.1 Pressure-fed propulsion system 18
3.1.1 The pressurizer fluid system 18
3.1.2 The oxidizer fluid system 18
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3.1.3 The Unitary Motors 19
3.2 Pump-fed propulsion system 19
3.2.1 Small pressurizer fluid system 19
3.2.2 Turbopump assembly and gas generator 20
3.3 Hybrid stage numerical design tool 21
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4 Architectural Design of SMILE Hybrid Stages 22
4.1 Summary of the architecture 23 Doc.No.: 2095355
5 Conclusion 24
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Abbreviations
Acronym Description
AR Area Ratio
ASC Andøya Space Center
COPV Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels
ESA European Space Agency

FLPP Future Launcher Preparatory Programme
H2O2 Hydrogen Peroxide (liquid oxidizer)
HTPB Hydroxyl-Terminated PolyButadiene (Solid rubber fuel)

Isp Specific Impulse (in seconds)
MDO Multi-Disciplinary Optimisation
MNs Mega-Newton seconds, unit of total impulse

OF ratio Oxidizer to Fuel ratio
Date: 18 Aug 2017

SSO Sun-Synchronous Orbit
SSSL SuperSonic Split Line

TVA/TVC Thrust Vector Actuator/Control
UM Unitary Motor
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1 Introduction
1.1 Background
Today’s market for small satellites is expanding, but there is little capacity for affordable launches.
Launch costs of €50,000 per kg are required to compete with ride-shares. Cost reduction is essential,
e.g. through reuse, low cost components, volume production, optimised manufacturing.
Fourteen European companies and institutes are joining forces in a Horizon2020 programme called
“SMall Innovative Launcher for Europe” (SMILE). The project aims at designing a small launcher for
satellites up to 50 kg, demonstrating critical technologies on propulsion, avionics, and production for
cost-effective solutions, and designing a European-based launch facility at Andøya.
The technology in the SMILE context involves:

 reusable liquid rocket engines,
 low cost hybrid rocket engines,
 low cost automated manufacturing of composites and advanced materials,
 low cost avionics equipment,
 efficient, easy-to-use payload deployment system,
 Low cost ground segment.
Liquid propulsion is a reliable technology allowing high performance with throttling capability and
Date: 18 Aug 2017

easy re-ignition. As propellants, LOX and kerosene are considered, being low-cost, worldwide
available, and storable. The engine is based on ceramic materials having oxidation resistance, high
specific strength, and low thermal expansion at high temperatures. Combined with transpiration
cooling, the lifetime can be improved, leading to reusable liquid engines.
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Hybrid engines combine advantages of solid engines (simplicity) and liquid engines (inherent safety,
throttling). The combination of H2O2 and HTPB yields good performance, whilst being available in
industrial quantities (low cost) and completely green (only CO2 and H2O produced). The propellants
are safe to handle (non-toxic constituents) and operate (separate storage). Standardisation of Doc.No.: 2095355
building blocks, such as a Unitary Motor, is considered key to volume production and increased
reliability.
Traditional composite manufacturing typically results in an expensive structure. New technologies

are needed to manufacture composite structures at acceptable cost. The ambition regarding
structures is to demonstrate both automated composite manufacturing and the use of 3D-printing
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for metal parts.
The use of space-qualified avionics components typically leads to expensive subsystems. Experience
with CubeSats has led to the conclusion that selected Commercial-Off-The-Shelf equipment can
survive the launch and continue to function in a space environment. The avionics developments
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focus on the inertial measurement unit, power distribution system, and on-board computer.


To eject satellites into their final orbit, a deployment system is required. The small satellite market is
currently dominated by CubeSats, launched inside a container or CubeSat deployment system. The
project envisages a lightweight system for the range of 25 - 50 kg satellites as well as a slimmed-
down version of a CubeSat dispenser.
Nowadays, launcher ground operations are still time-consuming and expensive. The objective in
SMILE is to create a concept ground facility with significant cost reduction of ground/launch
processing and operations without compromising the mission.
1.2 Purpose
The goal of this document is to present the architecture of the hybrid propulsion system, as it is
planned to be used for the different stages of the launcher. It is a deliverable of the work package 2
(WP2 – propulsion) of the SMILE project for the Mid-term review (Milestone 3).
In a first part, Nammo’s hybrid technology will be presented with a description of the Unitary Motor,
the motor currently being developed and tested by Nammo. The hybrid motors used in the design of
the launcher stages will be based on the same principles, with sizes and performances corresponding
to the typical needs of the launcher.
In a second part, the focus will be put on the different components of the hybrid propulsion
Date: 18 Aug 2017

subsystem. A design tool has been written allowing to size all those elements based on the
requirements at launcher level (total impulse, ∆𝑉 required,…). This serves then as input to the
launcher design MDO tool in order to find a global architecture which satisfies the requirements
(payload mass, orbit altitude,…).
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Finally, the results obtained during the architecture design phase of the project, results of an
iterative work between the different partners, will be described, taking into consideration a launcher
based on three hybrid stages (config. 3.2 in ref [RD3]).
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This document is only the publishable summary, taking only the non-confidential information
available in the full document.
State: Released
Controlled by PDM.


1.3 Reference documents
Ref Title Identification

[RD1] Launcher System Requirements SML-NLR-LSSRD-CO/1001 (D1.6)
[RD2] Liquid Engine Architectural Design SML-DLR-LEADD-CO/2001 (D2.11)
[RD3] Launcher System Concept Design Report SML-NLR-LSCDD-CO/1002 (D1.8)
[RD4] Architectural Sizing & Concept Definition SML-NLR-ASCDR-CO/3001 (D3.13)
[RD5] Avionics Architectural Design SML-NLR-AVADD-CO/4001 (D4.6)
[RD6] Launcher/Ground Segment Interfaces SML-ASC-LSIRD-CO/5001 (D5.1)
Requirements
[RD7] Cost Analysis Report SML-NAMMO-CAR-CO/2005 (D2.13)
[RD8] Hybrid Rocket Motor Upscaling and AIAA 2015-4044
Development Test Campaign at Nammo Raufoss
[RD9] Green Propulsion Rocket Test Stand SP2014 2969649
[RD10] SPARTAN project webpage http://www.spartanproject.eu/
[RD11] The HTR Program – An Overview of the 18th ESA Symposium on European Rocket
Date: 18 Aug 2017

Rocket System and Program Achievements and Balloon Programmes and Related
Research, Visby, Sweden, 3-7 June 2007
[RD12] SuperSonic Split Line TVC Technology and AIAA-2006-4940
Testing at Nammo Raufoss AS
[RD13] Material Compatibility with Hydrogen http://www.ozoneservices.com/articles/00
Peroxide (H2O2) 4.htm
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[RD14] The Norwegian Initiative for a Satellite Nano- SSC16-II-07
Launcher
[RD15] Getting Ready for Space: Nammo’s EUCASS 2017 – Paper 410 Doc.No.: 2095355
Development of a 30 kN Hybrid Rocket Based
Technology Demonstrator
[RD16] Architectural Turbopump Design Document SML-WEPA-ATDD-CO/2017 (D2.17)
[RD17] Development of a high-performance SP2016 3124715
hydrogen peroxide monopropellant thruster for
launcher applications
State: Released
[RD18] Performance Model Report SML-NAMMO-PMR-CO/2006 (D2.6)

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2 Nammo Hybrid Technology

2.1 History of Hybrid Development in Nammo
In recent years, there has been a revived interest in Hybrid Propulsion as a promising technology to
consider for chemical rocket motor applications. This interest is driven by the promise to offer a
cheap and performing solution by combining the advantages of solid and liquid propulsion. Hybrid
propulsion technology is therefore of interest for a series of applications of which many are space
related. In addition, there has been a growing desire for implementing Green Propellants into the
rocket community over a prolonged period of time. Several of the hybrid propulsion technologies are
excellent candidates for green applications.
Nammo Raufoss AS (Nammo) decided in 2003 to embark on the hybrid rocket propulsion technology.
Hybrid rockets are inherently safe and most of the oxidizers are “green” and readily available in
industrial quantities. Nammo has been a world renowned manufacturer of solid rocket motors for
decades, and develops, manufactures and tests solid rocket motors in their own compact and
modern facilities in Raufoss, Norway. Because Nammo has never made a move into high energy, but
toxic mono- and bi-propellant rocket motor alternatives, it was decided that only oxidizers which
were considered green were allowed to be introduced into the Nammo hybrid rocket motor
program.
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Doc.No.: 2095355
Figure 1: Preliminary tests and development programmes in Nammo. Lab scale testing (left), throttling demonstration
(middle) and SPARTAN lander (right, a FP7 project, [RD10])
Several research and technology programs have been completed since 2003, with multiple lab scale
firing and technology demonstration (see Figure 1). The most visible result being the launch of a
liquid oxygen/rubber fuel driven experimental sounding rocket, the HTR, from Andøya Rocket Range
State: Released
in 2007 (see Figure 2 and [RD11]). This experimental flight, achieved in cooperation with Lockheed
Martin, was based on a LOX-driven rocket, while the technology work has been performed based on
all of the three most common green oxidizers: Liquid Oxygen (LOX), Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) and
Nitrous Oxide (N2O).
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Figure 2: Launch of the HTR rocket from Andøya Rocket Range in 2007.
A trade-off has been made on those different propellants and it came out that the combination of
H202 and HTPB (Hydroxyl-Terminated PolyButadiene) yielded the most promising prospect for
upscaling the technology for sounding rocket and Nano-launcher application (see Figure 3). This
combination of propellant has thus been the main focus of Nammo’s hybrid development to this
date.
Date: 18 Aug 2017

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Doc.No.: 2095355
Figure 3: Propellant trade-off results
The upscaling of the hybrid motor has been achieved ([RD8]) by Nammo within the umbrella of the
State: Released
ESA program FLPP (Future Launcher Preparatory Programme), funded by the Norwegian Space
Agency and ESA. FLPP aims at fostering new promising technologies for future European access to
space. Before hybrids can be considered as a likely candidate for future space propulsion missions,
the experimental demonstration at a significant scale of the hybrid propulsion performance is
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needed.

contained herein is subject to the restrictions on the cover page of this document P a g e | 10

Nammo has been funded by ESA's Launcher Division to pursue the technology maturation of hybrid
propulsion. The upscaling activities accelerated during 2014, when a new large scale test facility for
hybrid rocket engines was completed at Nammo Raufoss (see Figure 4 and [RD9]), which allowed the
development and the subsequent testing of a large scale engine.
Figure 4: Nammo's Green Propulsion Test Stand. Firing bunker (left) and control room (right)
2.2 The Unitary Motor

The Unitary Motor is a novel concept of hybrid rocket engine developed by Nammo and is for the
moment the most performant motor developed by Nammo in terms of total impulse delivered. It
uses high concentration hydrogen peroxide (87.5% H2O2) as oxidizer and HTPB rubber as fuel. Figure
Date: 18 Aug 2017

5 shows its working principle. The incoming oxidizer, in liquid form, enters the motor with a mass
flow of about 11 kg/s. It is first decomposed into hot steam and gaseous oxygen to a temperature of
670°C over a catalyst bed. It then goes through the injector and enters the combustion chamber in
hot gaseous form, where ignition of the hybrid combustion occurs without any dedicated ignition
device due to the high oxidizer heat flux, sufficient to vaporize the solid fuel. The injector creates a
vortex flow-field in the chamber which helps in maintaining a high heat flux to the fuel surface and in
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achieving appropriate mixing of the reactants for a high combustion efficiency and high regression
rate. The hot product gases are then expelled through a nozzle, generating close to 30 kN of thrust
for this motor. For future reference, the term “motor” will be used hereafter to refer to the assembly
going from the catalyst assembly to the exit of the nozzle (as shown in Figure 5).
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Controlled by PDM.
Figure 5: Schematic of the working principle of the Unitary Motor


The Unitary Motor (UM) has a rich set of positive features for a rocket engine, and more so for a
hybrid rocket engine. These features are notably:
• Self-ignition increasing engine start reliability and enabling an multiple restart capability,
• Wide range throttling with limited performance losses,
• Green life cycle and exhaust properties,
• Solid inert fuel and high-density green storable oxidizer,
• High engine combustion efficiency, performance and stability,
• Simplicity of a single circular port and single feedline configuration,
• Rapid and simple thrust termination, achieved simply by stopping the oxidizer flow,
• Low development and operational costs,
And many others which make the UM a promising candidate for many applications, such as sounding
rocket and launcher propulsion which are envisaged and pursued today.
Within the frame of FLPP, the primary objective is to increase the TRL level of hybrid propulsion while
demonstrating it at a significant scale, which is at a thrust level above 100 kN. This goal is reached
through the Unitary Motor and its subsequent bundling in a cluster of 4 motors (Figure 6).
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Figure 6: Development logic of the FLPP programme
This bundling method allow to reach performances needed for launchers, while keeping the motors
themselves within boundaries (mass, size, performances) allowing fast and low cost development. Doc.No.: 2095355
The testing of this motor has started in 2014 with a heavy-wall configuration and is currently (as of
August 2017) in the ground testing phase of a flight weight version. From the very first firing, the
motor has shown excellent performance and very high reproducibility.
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Controlled by PDM.


Figure 7: The Heavy-wall UM during the 3rd (left, 18th November 2014) and 4th (right, 28th November 2014) firings
Date: 18 Aug 2017

Figure 8: Current last firing of the flight-weight UM (15th March 2017)
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Clearly visible on Figure 7 and Figure 8 is the motor mounted on the test bench during firing. One can
notice the perfect nozzle expansion. The visible part of the plume is about the length of the motor
which is just below 1.5 meters; downstream, the exhaust gases become only visible in the IR
spectrum showing the quality of the exhaust gases, limited to carbon dioxide and water vapor, and Doc.No.: 2095355
thus of the quality of the combustion process.
Below on Figure 9 is displayed the recorded thrust profile from one of the UM firings. The thrust level
is very consistent throughout the entire burn time, remaining almost constant for 20 seconds. For all
tests, the oxidizer mass flow was kept stable and constant for the entire burn time, within less than 1
percent of the motor design level.
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It therefore means that the 30 kN UM is capable to hold a constant thrust level when submitted to a
constant oxidizer mass flow. Finally, the motor start transient is as fast as the shutdown transient.
Such high start response is enabled by pre-warming of the catalyst, which reduces the ignition time
almost to immediacy.
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Figure 9: Thrust measured (filtered down to 3 Hz sampling for this document) during the 4 th firing of the heavy wall UM (28th
November 2014).
As shown on Table 1, the performance achieved by the heavy wall UM has been above expectations
in terms of overall engine efficiency, with an average value of 95%. The reproducibility between
consecutive firings was very satisfactory. To conclude, the heavy wall test campaign confirmed the
expected great features and capabilities of Nammo hybrid technology at the UM scale. The flight
weight version of UM has demonstrated since then performance levels in line with the heavy wall
UM. Further results and details about the flight weight campaign can be found in [RD15].
Date: 18 Aug 2017

Table 1: Comparison of the 5th heavy wall UM test results with the motor design target. In this table all mean values are
averaged over the entire motor burn duration and all values have been rounded independently
Firing FLPP-UM-007-HRE Design model target

Burn duration 25 s 25 s
Mean oxidizer mass flow 10.8 kg/s 10.8 kg/s
Mean fuel mass flow 1.9 kg/s 1.6 kg/s
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Mean oxidizer to fuel ratio 5.75 6.75
Mean chamber pressure 36 bar 35 bar
Mean specific impulse (ground level) 234 s 230 s
Mean engine efficiency 95 % 94 %
Total impulse (ground level) 750 kNs 700 kNs Doc.No.: 2095355
The main difference between the flight weight version and the heavy-wall lies in the dry mass of the
two versions, with a reduction of about 66% (3 times less mass). But it also proposes an increase in
performance with a higher diameter, and thus longer burn time (and consequently higher total
impulse). Those differences are listed in Table 2. The flight weight version has been tested as of
today up to 25s burn time. Moreover during one of the tests, the re-ignition and re-start capabilities
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of the motor has been successfully demonstrated firing the same motor twice, for 5 s and 10 s
burning time respectively, with a waiting time in between of 2.5 hours.
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Table 2: List of the main differences between the two versions of the UM. The motor dry mass includes fuel residuals,
insulation components and metallic parts.
Motor Heavy-wall UM Flight-weight UM

Total impulse (ground level) 700 kNs 980 kNs
outer diameter (inches) 305 mm (12 in) 356 mm (14 in)
Burn duration 25 s 35 s
Dry mass (without consumed fuel) > 280 kg < 100 kg
Consumed fuel mass < 50 kg > 60 kg
Motor structural mass ratio > 87.5 < 62.5
Consumed oxidizer mass 270 kg 380 kg
The flight-weight UM will be used as such for a demonstration launch of a prototype sounding
rocket, the Nucleus. Even though being a demonstrator, the Nucleus encompasses already most of
the components needed to develop a launcher hybrid stage and as such its design is relevant for a
launcher application (Figure 10). The flight will be performed from Andøya Space Center (ASC), with
an apogee over 100 km altitude (see [RD15]).
Figure 10: Simplified CAD drawing of the prototype Nucleus sounding rocket
Date: 18 Aug 2017

Even though the UM as of today is suitable for sounding rocket applications, it needs further
upgrades in order to be applicable and competitive for small launcher applications. Upgrades in this
sense have been taken into account in the launcher design within the SMILE project.
2.3 Upgrades of the Unitary Motor
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The flight-weight UM, as currently being developed by Nammo, is still a technology demonstrator,
meaning that it has not been fully optimized for its commercial use, in order to reduce the
development and testing time and cost. However, Nammo has in parallel started to investigate how Doc.No.: 2095355
to optimize its hybrid motors for a commercial product: reduction of the dry mass, inclusion of a TVC
system, simplification of the assembly method, ways to improve and simplify the manufacturing
process, foundation of the industrialization of the product as well as creating a supply chain for the
subcomponents.
Within SMILE, some of those investigations have been, and will be, pushed forward (detailed design,
State: Released
manufacturing trials,…) in order to have a motor design fit for its use in a launcher. The focus has
been put in a first phase on a motor with a size similar to the current UM, which can then be called
Unitary Motor 1 or UM1, in order to use at best the knowledge maturated so far on this design.
Those features are currently being adapted for motors of the size needed in the SMILE project as a
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preliminary approach toward the second phase of the project.


2.3.1 Expected mass gain for the UM1 with the upgrades
The current version of the UM has a dry mass of less than 100 kg. With the upgrades previously
mentioned, a global gain of about 50% is foreseen, meaning that the UM1 would weight around
50kg.
2.3.2 Higher Thrust motors, the UM2

For a launcher, a motor with a much higher total impulse capacity than the UM1 have to be
developed, especially if it is to be used for a booster stage (1st stage). This has been in Nammo’s
agenda from the beginning of the large scale engine projects, with a motor named simply Unitary
Motor 2 (or UM2).
2.3.3 Motor sizes for SMILE

The actual size of the motors for the different stages has been one of the many outputs of this first
phase of the project. A trade-off has been carried out between optimization of the performances at
launcher level, Nammo’s expertise on the limitations of the design and cost estimation in order to
obtain an architecture satisfying all the requirements of the project, both in terms of performances,
time-to-market and cost level. The philosophy of the Unitary Motors has been kept, using clustering
and reusability of parts wherever possible and multiple iterations of the design have been needed
before converging to a satisfying solution.
Date: 18 Aug 2017

One of the main issues was to find motor sizes that would suite both the requirements on the
launcher and the payload and requirements on the motor components. For example, the maximal
acceleration of the launcher should be as low as possible in order to reduce the loads on the satellite
components (notably on the mechanical interface of movable elements like the solar panels) which
translate into having motors with somewhat low thrust and very long burn time. However, having
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very long burn time is quite challenging for a hybrid motor, as the diameter of the motor is directly
linked to the burn-time, there is a limitation on the maximal burn time in order to keep the motor or
the motor cluster within the diameter of the airframe. A trade-off was thus needed to find the right
architecture.
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State: Released
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3 Components of the Launcher’s Hybrid Motor Stages

The detailed architecture of each of the SMILE launcher stage will be a cooperative work between
each members of the SMILE consortium, Nammo bringing its experience and its support regarding
the hybrid motors, but also regarding the other components needed to feed those motors with
propellant, mainly the propulsion subsystem, and to interface them with the other subsystems
(avionics, structure,…). Apart from the motors themselves, Nammo is responsible for all the elements
composing the propulsion subsystem of the hybrid motors. This section will describe and present the
components that have been taken into account in Nammo’s model. Traditionally, the propulsion
subsystem account for 90% of the total dry mass of the stage (without the propellants) so a good
modelling of the mass of this subsystem already give a fairly good idea of the dry mass of the
launcher and thus, completed with a performance model of the motors, give a good assessment of
the performance of the launcher.
The propulsion subsystem, under the responsibility of Nammo within SMILE, can be separated in
three parts:
 The motors themselves: injection of the propellants into the combustion chamber, where the
combustion of the propellants occurs and their chemical energy transformed into kinetic
energy producing the thrust.
Date: 18 Aug 2017

 The propellants feeding system: the propellants are stored in high capacity tanks and need to
be transported toward the motor by pipelines. Valves are needed to start, stop and regulate
the flow of propellants thus regulating the thrust. The control of the valves is here not taken
into account as being part of the avionic subsystem. Depending on the design, the tanks can
also be part of the structure subsystem if they are load carrying (meaning that the external
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effort and the thrust are transmitted through the tanks).
 The pressurizing system: to be injected in the motor, which traditionally works at a fairly high
pressure, the propellants must be pressurized. Two different propulsion systems can be
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designed, depending on the choice of pressurization method. Either a pressurizing fluid is

used, the system is then called “pressure-fed”, or the propellants are mechanically
pressurized in a so-called “pump-fed” system.
In the following, the two kind of system will be described in more details and for the specific case of
State: Released
Nammo’s hybrid technology.

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3.1 Pressure-fed propulsion system
A simple example of a pressure-fed system as it is needed for Nammo’s hybrid motors is given by the
Nucleus (see Figure 10). It can be synthesized as follow:
 A pressurizer fluid system, composed of a gas cylinder and a pipe line with valves and flow
regulators, that is used to pressurized the oxidizer to the required pressure.
 An oxidizer fluid system, delivering the prescribed mass flow of oxidizer to the motor. It is
composed of an oxidizer tank and as well a pipe line with valves and flow regulators.
 The motor itself, composed of a catalyst to decompose the oxidizer into hot oxidizer gases,
an injector to inject the oxidizer gases into the combustion chamber, a fuel grain inside a
combustion chamber where the combustion occurs and a convergent-divergent nozzle to
accelerate the combustion gases and create the thrust.
3.1.1 The pressurizer fluid system

The pressurizing gas considered so far is Helium in order to reduce the mass as much as possible. It is
stored in cylinders, most likely made out of composite material for mass reduction (COPV –
Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel), at very high pressure (300-400 bar considered). These
COPV can either seat on top of the oxidizer tank, or on the side of the rest of the system depending
on the size of the stage and the wanted aspect ratio.
Date: 18 Aug 2017

This gas is used to pressurize the oxidizer tank to the required pressure level for the motor. This
required a pressurizer feed lines (piping) and valves to fill the cylinder, start, stop and possibly
regulate the flow of pressurizer toward the oxidizer tank. In the frame of the Nucleus, the feeding of
the pressurizer gas is done in blow-down, meaning that only a sonic orifice is used to regulate the
mass flow rate of pressurizer. The pressure inside the oxidizer tank will thus vary during the burn
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time of the motor. Using a pressure regulator instead will keep a pressure in the oxidizer tank
constant for most, if not all, of the burn time and would be the chosen solution for a launcher in
order to keep the performance of the stage constant.
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3.1.2 The oxidizer fluid system

Since there is only one liquid propellant, the oxidizer H2O2, only one propellant feeding system is
needed, which simplifies reasonably the architecture. The oxidizer is stored in a tank that is
pressurized to the required pressure (around 60 bar) by the pressurizer gas. The material of the tank
must be compatible with H2O2 ([RD13]) to minimize the outgassing (slow decomposition of H2O2
and thus decrease of H2O2 concentration). In the example of the Nucleus, the tank is also used as a
State: Released
structural component of the rocket and is thus made of an aluminium alloy. A tank made of
composite material is also possible, with an inner aluminium liner for compatibility and composite
fibres around it to withstand the inner pressure and, if structural, the external loads.
Controlled by PDM.


To feed the motor with the oxidizer, a piping system is needed, with valves to fill the tanks, start,
stop and possibly regulate the mass flow of oxidizer to the motor. In order to regulate the mass flow
and somewhat decouple the fluid system from the motor, a cavitating venturi has so far been
considered. This device allow for the mass flow rate of oxidizer to only depend on the upstream
pressure (in this case the pressure in the oxidizer tank). The pressure at the throat of the venturi
drops to the vapour pressure of the H2O2 which is 236 Pa. This very low vapour pressure allows for a
very short venturi and thus enables a light-weight design, fit for its use in a launcher. The venturi also
creates an important pressure drop which helps in decoupling the motor from the rest of the system.
In the case of a cluster of motors, a choice has to be made between having a global fluid system for
all the motors, a dedicated fluid system for each of them, or a mix between those two options. A
single oxidizer tank is preferred in order to reduce the needed volume for the tanks, and thus helping
in the design of the stage. The mass of one tank is also in most cases smaller than multiple ones. In
order to avoid having perturbations (pressure fluctuations,…) going from a motor to the other, each
motor should be equipped with a cavitating venturi. The choice for the valves remains open. Indeed,
an architecture with a single valve for all the motors simplifies the pipe lines a lot and is a very light-
weight system. On the other hand it is also more critical in term of safety and doesn’t allow for thrust
modulation between the motors (for TVC for example).
Date: 18 Aug 2017

3.1.3 The Unitary Motors
As mentioned in section 2.2, the motor is the structure going from the catalyst housing to the exit of
the nozzle. Thanks to its unique design, the motor will deliver an almost constant thrust if it is fed by
a constant oxidizer mass flow, which in turns is achieved with a constant oxidizer tank pressure. The
vortex flow field created by the injector ensure high regression rate throughout the burn.
Version: 1
3.2 Pump-fed propulsion system
Doc.No.: 2095355
Most of the components described in section 3.1 remain present in the pump-fed system. The main
difference comes from the fact that pressurization of the liquid oxidizer before its injection in the
motor is done mechanically by a pump instead of by a pressurizer gas, removing the need for a
pressurizer fluid system. More details about the pump system can be found in deliverable D2.17 from
WEPA ([RD16]).
State: Released
3.2.1 Small pressurizer fluid system

A pressurizer fluid system is still needed, in order to keep a certain level of pressure inside the
oxidizer tank to ensure the good functioning of the pump (avoid cavitation for example). But this
pressurizer fluid system is much reduced compared to a pressure-fed system as the needed pressure
Controlled by PDM.
is much lower (4-8 bar). Thanks to the very low vapour pressure of the H2O2, an oxidizer tank at


atmospheric pressure might even be good enough for the functioning of the pump, in which case a
pressurizing system might be unnecessary.
3.2.2 Turbopump assembly and gas generator

The energy to drive the pump can come from different sources. Traditionally, part of the propellants
are taken from the main lines, downstream of the pump, and used to drive a turbine after having
burned in a small combustion chamber, the gas generator. The energy provided by the combustion
of this small amount of propellants is transferred to the turbine, which then drives the pumps to
pressurize the propellants at the right pressure and with the right mass flow rate. In the case of H2O2
hybrid technology, this turbopump system is somewhat simpler as there is only one fluid to be
pressurized. The combination of the turbine and the one pump is more easily optimized to the design
point, without the need for a differential rotation speed between multiple pumps working with
different fluids for example. Besides, the catalytic decomposition of the H2O2 provides the needed
energy to drive the turbine, making the gas generator a simple catalyst bed as used in the Unitary
Motors.
While the turbopump is in this project under the responsibilities of WEPA (see [RD16]), the gas
generator is designed by Nammo, using the knowledge and the expertise developed with the
catalysts for the hybrid motor catalyst, but also with catalysts for hot gas thrusters that are more
heavily loaded (see [RD17]).
Date: 18 Aug 2017

A pump-fed system is preferred in most cases, as a pressure-fed system is much heavier, even more
so with bigger size of stages and motors. The extra mass needed for the pressurizer fluid system in a
pressure-fed system is somewhat balanced by the extra turbopump assembly in the pump-fed
system. However, in the pressure-fed case, the full oxidizer tank, which represents the majority of
Version: 1
the volume of the stage, has to withstand the high pressure needed to operate the motor. This
makes the tank remarkably heavier, compare to having a tank at near-ambient pressure as for the
pump-fed case.
Doc.No.: 2095355
Depending on the size of the stage, a trade-off has to be made between the two cases. For small
stages, where the oxidizer tank is relatively compact, a pressure-fed system might be favoured for its
simplicity. Above a critical size, a pump-fed system will be the only viable option to have the required
performance needed for a launcher.
State: Released
Controlled by PDM.


Figure 11: Schematic of an oxidizer turbopump assembly and gas generator for a bi-liquid engine.
3.3 Hybrid stage numerical design tool
Date: 18 Aug 2017

In order to obtain a first approximation of the size and design of the components of the hybrid motor
propulsion system, a design code has been written in Matlab. This design code operates in a bottom-
up approach. Based on Nammo’s expertise in the field of hybrid and solid motors, as well as in
designing fluid systems for hybrid motors and monopropellant thrusters, design laws have been
written to size the components mentioned in the previous sections. These laws give the sizes, the
Version: 1
masses and the performances of the components, which then help to size the stages and ultimately
the launcher.
Doc.No.: 2095355
State: Released
Controlled by PDM.


4 Architectural Design of SMILE Hybrid Stages

The NorthStar family ([RD14]), a Norwegian initiative promoted by Nammo and ASC to develop new
sounding rockets, is based on the two Unitary Motor versions presented in Section 2, as shown in
Figure 12. This architecture, based on bundling of multiple motor of the same size and used in
different configuration, allows for higher volume production and thus higher reliability by
automatization along with lower cost by serial production. The same approach is adopted for the
architecture of the hybrid stages for SMILE.
Date: 18 Aug 2017

Version: 1
Doc.No.: 2095355
Figure 12: The NorthStar family of sounding rockets, all based on two versions of the UM.
This strategy imposes a limitation in the design of the hybrid stages, in the sense that the same
motor should be used in different stages. With that optic, the numerical tool described in section 3.3
has been used, jointly with the launcher MDO tool of NLR (see ref. [RD3]), to design various sizes of
stages, either to be used in a launcher fully motorized by hybrid technology, or possibly in
State: Released
combination with liquid engine stages (see ref. [RD2]). The results of this architectural design loop
will be presented here-under for the full hybrid case of a 3 stages launcher. This will allow describing
all the elements taken into account in the widest range of application.
Controlled by PDM.


4.1 Summary of the architecture
Figure 13 shows the full 3 stage hybrid launcher architecture and compare the version calculated by
the Nammo tool (right) and the one used for the overall optimization and the trajectory calculation
(left). As one can see, the dimensions are very much similar, thanks to the strong interaction
between the different partners to reach this architecture and the retro-feeding of their results into
the design codes. Some extra length have been taken in WP1 to take into account some elements,
like the stage separation systems for example, not present in Nammo’s code.
Keeping out of the comparison the payload bay, the launcher propulsive stages have a total length of
16.6 meters (16.26 m calculated with Nammo’s tool) for a total mass of 19.5 tonnes.
Date: 18 Aug 2017

Version: 1
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State: Released
Figure 13: Comparison between the launcher computed with the Nammo code (right) and the one used for the overall
optimization and trajectory calculation
Controlled by PDM.


5 Conclusion
It has been possible to find an architecture of a 3 stages launcher using only hybrid propulsion
technology and satisfying the requirements in terms of performances. Compared to the
configurations using liquid propulsion technology (see [RD3] and [RD2]), the total mass of the
launcher is slightly higher due to the somewhat lower performance in terms of Isp and dry mass of
the hybrid motors. However, and as it is seen in this first loop, the difference is far from being a show
stopper for this technology.
Moreover, and as it will be demonstrated in the development of this project, hybrid technology is
proven to be a cost effective solution (see also [RD7] for more details). The full green life cycle, using
storable, industrially available and non-toxic propellants, reduce drastically the cost of testing,
handling, storing and operation of those engines. The fact that there is only one liquid propellant to
handle, with a self-ignition capacity after achieving catalytic decomposition, simplify a great deal the
global architecture of the stage, which also helps in keeping the costs low. Finally, the technology is
in a quite advanced state, as mentioned in section 2. This maturation has been achieved with a very
tight development budget, showing the capacity for upgrades of the technology in a short time and
for a relatively small cost. It is also reasonable to believe that, thanks to the good results obtained on
the UM1, the development time and cost of the next size of motors will be even smaller.
Date: 18 Aug 2017

During this architectural phase, an architecture has been found and a three stages launcher using
hybrid propulsion has been preliminary defined, which satisfies the requirements flowing from
system level as well as from the expertise of Nammo regarding the design of hybrid motors. In the
coming phase of the project, this architecture will be the baseline of more in-depth analysis allowing
to specify the characteristics of the various components, in terms of mass, geometry, thrust profile,
Version: 1
etc. Regarding the motors, now that their sizes are quite clear, more work can be done, both
internally at Nammo, with CAD designs and in-depth analyses, and externally with the partners,
notably regarding potential 3D printing of components, inclusion of the motors in the stage structure
(clustering structure, thrust mount) and interaction with the turbopumps.
Doc.No.: 2095355
State: Released
Controlled by PDM.

Document No.:
Dokument Nr.:
2095355
Version: Date:
Versjon:
1 Dato:
18 Aug 2017
Document type / Dokumenttype:
Document
Title / Tittel:
Hybrid Engine Architectural Design

Document - Publishable Summary
Project / Prosjekt:
SMILE
Prepared by : Reviewed by: Approved by :

Utarbeidet av : Kontrollert av: Godkjent av :
Date: 18 Aug 2017

Haemmerli, Bastien Faenza, Martina Vesterås, Terje
Development Analysis Engineer Development Analysis Engineer Project Manager
Version: 1
Doc.No.: 2095355
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SMALL INNOVATIVE LAUNCHER FOR EUROPE

CRITICAL ENGINE TECHNOLOGY WP2

HYBRID ENGINE - ARCHITECTURAL

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2 Nammo Hybrid Technology 9

3 Components of the Launcher’s Hybrid Motor Stages 17

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ESA European Space Agency

HTPB Hydroxyl-Terminated PolyButadiene (Solid rubber fuel)

MNs Mega-Newton seconds, unit of total impulse

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SSSL SuperSonic Split Line

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The technology in the SMILE context involves:

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Traditional composite manufacturing typically results in an expensive structure. New technologies

for metal parts.

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1.3 Reference documents

Ref Title Identification

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[RD18] Performance Model Report SML-NAMMO-PMR-CO/2006 (D2.6)

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2 Nammo Hybrid Technology

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Figure 3: Propellant trade-off results

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2.2 The Unitary Motor

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Figure 5: Schematic of the working principle of the Unitary Motor

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Firing FLPP-UM-007-HRE Design model target

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Motor Heavy-wall UM Flight-weight UM

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