ATK Advances In Solid
Propulsion
Presented to: SPST
POC: David McGrath
Email: david.mcgrath@atk.com
Phone: (410) 392 - 1716
October 9, 2014
EXPORT-CONTROLLED/FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Outline
• Orion Launch Abort Attitude Control Motor and Abort Motor
• LDSD
• STAR 48GXV
• SLS
• Stratolauncher
• Summary
-1-
ATK Has Developed the First Human Rated Solid Control
System – The Orion LAS ACM
Successful Flight Testing – PA-1
Successful Component Development Testing
HT-6
Actuators
Controller
HT-8A
Igniter
Battery
Software
Successful Full Scale Development Testing
Accomplishments
• Program start to first full scale test in
29 months, flight in 34 months
DM-2
• Human-rated, single fault tolerant valve
control system and software
• Eight, fully proportional valves using
new high temperature materials
DM-1
• Greater than 7,000 lbf omni-axis thrust
capability with 100 msec response time
-2-
ACM Design Overview
Controller Assembly
• Single-fault-tolerant controller
circuits with arbiter
Gas Generator Assembly
• Valve compatible propellant
• Steel case and closure
Lithium-Ion Battery Assembly
• Two, redundant command/control and valve power
batteries
Valve Assemblies
• Eight proportionally controlled pintle
valves, redundant motors in actuators
• Aluminum skirts and controller/battery stand
-3-
DM-1 and DM-2 Test Parameters
•
•
•
•
DM-1 Key Parameters
Conditioning Temperature:
60°F
Valves:
8
Burn time:
~30 sec
Maximum thrust:
~7000 lbf
•
•
•
•
DM-2 Key Parameters
Conditioning Temperature:
40°F
Valves:
8
Burn time:
~30 sec
Maximum thrust:
~7000 lbf
-4-
Proportional Valve Description
Redundant Actuator
Carbon/Phenolic Exit Cone
6Al-4V Titanium Housing and Nozzle Ring
C/C-SiC Pintle, Guide, and Throat
PA-1 Valve Assembly Shown
Valve Thrust:Weight ~250:1
-5-
DM-2 Test Video
Top View
-6-
DM-2 Top View Video
-7-
PA-1 Flight Test – May 6, 2010
Ref: NASA Orion
website information
Controlled Re-orient
Controlled Ascent
Pitchover
LAS Jettison
The ACM performed flawlessly
during the PA-1 flight – meeting all
objectives
ACM Ignition
-8-
High Thrust Valve Tests – HT-9 and HT-10
• Test single valve at full open
conditions
• Determine valve material
response to full loading
conditions during hot gas
testing
• Measure pressure and thrust
• HT-9 successfully tested on
Feb. 12, 2014
• HT-10 test is intended to be a
margin type test with a goal of
achieving 1.4 x MEOP pressure
conditions at full open
-9-
Path Forward and Summary
• The qualification program is getting underway
– Three motors are planned for the qualification program
– CDR is expected to occur in 2015
– Flight deliveries to begin in 2018
• The ACM is the first single-fault tolerant proportionally controlled
solid propellant system to be developed and flown
• The ACM incorporates C/C –SiC materials for the pintle, pintle guide
and throat
• ATK Missile Defense and Controls is honored to be part of the next
steps in human spaceflight away from planet Earth on the Orion
project
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Orion LAS Abort Motor
-11-
Abort Motor Hardware Manufacturing
Abort Motor 1800
Gallon Mix
Abort Motor Case
Tooling & Winding
Abort Motor
Manifold
Abort Motor Igniter
Tooling & Winding
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Abort Motor ST-1 Test Firing - ~500,000 lbf thrust
-13-
Pad Abort 1 Abort Motor
-14-
PA-1 LAV During Ascent and Post Mission.
Recovered Igniter Slag
-15-
EFT-1 Inert Abort Motor
EFT-1 Rework for Flight
• Manifold Replaced
• Case Line Loads Test
Completed
• Midcase Installed
• TPS Installed
• Raceway Installed
• Build Paperwork Review
• Verification for Flight
ATK Inert
Pathfinder
Used in LAS
Structural
Test Article
Used in
Orion
Ground Test
Article
Refurbished
and Certified
for EFT-1
EFT-1 Inert Abort Motor Reused Multiple Times in Support of Program Affordability
-16-
AM Qualification Path Forward
High Thrust Turn-Flow Abort Motor w/ Head End Nozzles
– Fabrication of 3 Full-Scale (QM series) qualification Abort Motors and
static test firing under representative load conditions
– Test stand mods required to get accurate motor induced acoustics
– Fabrication of demonstration Abort Motors for LAS high altitude
operational flight tests (AA-2 High Altitude)
High Burn Rate Class Propellant
•
Mix/Cast/Cure, Acceptance Testing (subscale motors and expanded lotto-lot variability mechanical testing. Firing in full scale tests.
High Mass Flow Pyrogen Igniter
• Fabrication of 2 qual Igniters and bench test firings
• Fabrication and test in full-scale Abort Motor test firings listed above
Direct Strike Lightning Protection (Integrated w/ TPS)
• Conducted preliminary TPS Aero and Plume heating and ablation tests
• Complete integrated Lightning and TPS process development trials
• Conduct coupon level and joint E3 qualification testing
• Integrated TPS/DSL design environmental characterization/qualification
testing
•
Structural Qualification
• Material allowables testing
Pressurized and unpressurized structural case and manifold ultimate
loads testing
-17-
Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD)
-18-
LDSD - Issues for Large Payloads at Mars
• Very large payloads being
considered for manned flights
– Tens of thousand of kilograms
• Payload fairings of launchers
from Earth are fixed in size
– (5-10m for SLS)
• Inflatable systems being studied
• Low Density Supersonic
Decelerator (LDSD) program
being funded by JPL to perform
risk reduction testing to gather
data for future designs
• ATK Elkton under contract to
JPL for STAR motors for testing
– Also being considered for future
mission applications
-19-
LDSD Mission
Rev:
0
-2020 Dec 12
LDSD Pictures
• One successful flight
conducted to-date
-21-
STAR 48GXV
-22-
STAR 48GXV
• Development began as a risk
reduction for the Solar Probe
mission
– Vehicle change negates the need
for the motor
• High performance, graphite
epoxy case, TVC, carbon-carbon
exit cone
• Expected vacuum delivered Isp
of >308 lbf-sec/lbm
• First development motor
successfully fired in December
2013
-23-
SLS Booster
-24-
SLS Booster
• ATK is developing the 5 segment
booster for SLS
• Builds on Shuttle heritage
• Three development motors
successfully tested
• Program has passed CDR
• Qual motor 1 is being processed
for a test in 2015
-25-
Stratolaunch
-26-
Stratolaunch
• Stratolaunch Systems is owned
by Paul Allen
• The carrier aircraft is being built
by Scale Composites
• The launcher effort is being led
by Orbital
– Launcher has solid lower stages
and liquid upper stage
– ATK is supporting Orbital on the
solid stages
-27-
Summary
• ATK is actively developing new propulsion systems for future
space mission applications
• Controllable solid propulsion offers capability for a variety of
control applications
• ATK has provided propulsion for every manned US space mission
and many spacecraft boost, retro, and landing applications
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