SBIR Phase I: Integrated propulsion solution to enable reusable upper stages of space vehicles

这一小型企业创新研究(SBIR)项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是推动可重复使用的空间飞行器的开发。目前的太空发射解决方案使用的是一次性使用后丢弃的价值数百万美元的火箭，这增加了发射成本，限制了可获得性。即使是最好的解决方案也只重复使用火箭的一部分几次，导致发射成本为5000美元/公斤或更高。火箭提供100%的可重用性，并像飞机一样操作，降低了航天运载火箭的成本、可用性和服务潜力。这个SBIR第一阶段项目建议开发新的技术，使航天运载火箭能够重新进入大气层，并在目标目的地推进着陆以供重复使用。重要的是，提出了坚固的设计解决方案，因此不需要进行广泛的翻新工作。技术挑战包括高效率推进、严格的热保护和完成空间任务目标所需的低结构质量的组合。这项研究探索了一种新的技术解决方案，将基础车辆性能与系统级效率相结合，以实现可重复使用的第二阶段车辆设计。优化参数包括环境条件、能量平衡、性能预测、部件尺寸和机械设计元素。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to advance the development of reusable vehicles for space. Current space launch solutions use multi-million-dollar rockets discarded after a single use, increasing launch costs and limiting availability. Even the best solutions reuse only a portion of the rocket a handful of times, resulting in launch costs of $5,000/kg and higher. Rockets offering 100% reusability and operating like aircraft reduce cost, availability concerns, and service potential of space launch vehicles. The proposed technology advances reusable space launch vehicles.This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop new technology enabling space launch vehicles to re-enter the atmosphere and land propulsively at a target destination for reuse. Importantly, robust design solutions are proposed so that extensive refurbishment efforts are not required. Technical challenges include the combination of high-efficiency propulsion, rigorous thermal protection, and low structural mass needed to complete in-space mission objectives. This research investigates a new technical solution combining fundamental vehicle performance with system-level efficiencies to enable reusable second-stage vehicle designs. The optimization parameters include environmental conditions, energy balance, performance predictions, component sizing, and mechanical design elements.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.