Some problems on rocket development

Paper ID

IAF-55-08

author

• G A Partel

company

year

1955

abstract

At the present time the realization of the unmanned orbital vehicle is a must. After so much-talking, any further delay would be detrimental towards the public opinion. After reviewing the dynamics of the satellite vehicles and presenting plots of the orbital velocity, characteristic velocity, period of revolution, gravitational acceleration, and orbital energy from the surface of the Earth up to an altitude of 2000 km, consideration is given to the criteria regarding the choice of the propellant mixture, and the relation be - tween the nozzle end section and throat section is illusthated. The most important problem of artificial satellites is connected to the amount of propellant weight expended per kilogram of payload. Therefore, activé research is required on the more energetic fuels available, such as metal hydrides and mixtures. Due to the fact that air' drag is one of the most important losses for rocket and satellite vehicles launched from the surface of the Earth, some sites are listed which are not only at a high altitude, but have railroad facilities, therefore allowing a rapid transport of materials and personnel. In order to avoid loss from air drag, it is further suggested to transport the rocket vehicle in altitude directly by aircraft, and - as an example for such a task - the Bristol 175 Britannia is illustrated. In this way, taking for instance a V-2 missile by aircraft to an altitude of 20 km and launching it from there, at burn-out it will have reaëhed a height of about 70 km. By applying said method to the MOUSE satellite Ÿehible, a defiriite advance in rocketry would be achieved.