May 8, 2008

Today's Video: SCUBA Tanks and Rapid Prototype Development at ARC

Editor's note: NASA Ames Research Center has been developing the Modular Common Spacecraft Bus (MCSB). The MCSB is a spacecraft designed to go to a variety of destinations such as lunar surface/orbit, Mars orbit, asteroid missions, and Earth orbit. The MCSB uses a cold gas propulsion system (and some SCUBA tanks) rather than a hot gas rocket. This only allows a few seconds of flight time - but it also reduces the time needed to prepare for repeat flights from intervals of many days - even months - down to around 40 minutes. This allows rapid prototype development to be conducted. The video below shows a series of tests conducted in 2007 and 2008. More to follow.


Posted by kcowing at May 8, 2008 12:27 AM
Comments

Back to basics.

I test flew a cold gas(N2)version of the Bell Aircraft prototype Rocket belt,a concept invented by Wendell Moore,a Bell Rocket Engineer.I was tethered and connected to a high pressure Nitrogen gas trailer with a flexible high pressure gas line.Simple but effective propulsion with an ISP of only 68 lb-sec/lb.I utlized aircraft O2 bottles in the design because of their light weight and man rated factors of safety.(1.5 on yield and 2.0 on ultimate)The flight Rocket Belt utilized 90% H2O2. I was a rocket propellant tank design/dev. engineer and went on to redesign the X-2 entire tankage system,making it the first aircraft to break Mach 3.

GO-NASA-GO.

I would love to be in on this.Too bad I'm 81 years old.

Posted by: William H. Bauer at May 8, 2008 3:50 PM
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