• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.1619-1626
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• 2024

In order to optimize the operational safety and reliability of the upper launcher for the CFETR ECRH system, a design of the launcher for NTM control based on the remote steering concept is currently being carried out for comparison with the front steering equivalent. This paper presents the layout design and analysis of the quasi-optical system in the remote steering launcher. A 3D visual quasi-optical design tool has been developed for the quasi-optical system, which can parameterize modeling, perform general astigmatic beam calculation and show the accurate beam propagation path in the upper port. Three identical sets of quasi-optical modules are arranged in the launcher, and each one consists of two fixed double-curvature focusing mirrors, which focus and reflect the steering beams (- 12°-12°) from two square corrugated waveguides. The beam characteristics at the resonance layer are described, and the average beam radius is < 100 mm. The peak head loads on the surfaces of the two fixed mirrors are 1.63 MW/m² and 1.52 MW/m². The position and size of the beam channel in the blanket are obtained, and the opening apertures on the launcher-facing and plasma-facing sides of the blanket module are 0.54 m² and 0.4 m², respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.54-63
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• 2022

A 3-tonf class liquid rocket engine that powers the upper stage of a small launcher and lifts 500 kg payload to 500 km SSO is designed. The small launcher is to utilize the flight-proven technology of the 75-tonf class engine for the first stage. A combination of liquid oxygen and liquid methane has been selected as their cryogenic states can provide an extra boost in specific impulse as well as enable a weight saving via the common dome arrangement. An expander cycle is chosen among others as the low-pressure operation makes it robust and reliable while a specific impulse of over 360 seconds is achievable with the nozzle extension ratio of 120. Key components such as combustion chamber and turbopump are designed for additive manufacturing to a target cost. The engine system provides an evaporated methane for the autogenous pressurization system and the reaction control of the stage. This upper stage propulsion system can be extended to various missions including deep space exploration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2020

Upper stage of launch vehicle mainly injects a lunar explorer from low earth orbit to the moon at a distance of 380,000 km. In foreign lunar explorer, the upper stage is separated from the explorer after the explorer is injected into the earth-moon transfer trajectory, and the lunar explorer then uses on-board propellant to carry out mid-course correction maneuvers and lunar orbit insertion maneuvers. This study describes a newly presented small liquid upper stage. Using a small liquid upper stage with a wet mass of 2.9 tonnes, the lunar explorer not only can be injected earth-moon transfer trajectory but also can be performed lunar orbit insertion. This study provides acceptable mass range of the lunar explorer and the scope of acceptable mission range also describes based on the launch from Naro Space Center.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.78-87
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• 2021

Understanding the liquid propellant transport phenomena in low gravity is essential for developing Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV) upper-stage for the diversity of space missions. A low-gravity environment can be simulated via the free-fall method on the ground; however, the air drag is inevitable. To reduce air resistance during free fall, air-drag shield is usually adopted. In this study, the free-fall method was performed with an air-drag shield from a 7-m height tower. The acceleration of a falling object was measured and analyzed. Low gravity below 0.01 g was achieved during 1.2-s free fall with the air-drag shield. The minimum gravitational acceleration value at 1.2-s after free fall was ±0.005 g, which is comparable to the value obtained from Bremen drop tower experiments, ±0.002 g. A prolonged free-fall duration may enhance the low-gravity quality during the drop tower experiments.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.451-462
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• 2024

In order to optimize the operational safety and reliability of the upper launcher for the CFETR ECRH system, a design of the launcher based on the remote steering concept is currently being carried out for comparison with the front steering equivalent. This paper presents the remote steering system's conceptual design and simulation analysis. A Square Corrugated Waveguide (SCW) of 65 × 65 mm has been designed with an optimized length of 9.35 m. By changing the relative length of the waveguide, the transmission efficiency of the SCW is optimized within the range of steering angles ±12°. Different error factors are investigated in detail, and corresponding acceptable error ranges are provided. Considering these error factors and ignoring ohmic losses and thermal effects, the relative transmission efficiency of the SCW is estimated to be >98 % within the steering angle range. A matching steering unit for the SCW is designed, which consists of an ellipsoidal focusing mirror and a steerable flat mirror. The detailed design of the steerable mirror motion trajectory is presented. Also, the influence of the possible beam incident errors caused by the steering unit on the transmission efficiency is analyzed in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.156-165
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• 2015

A survivability-analysis program has been developed to analyze the ground collision risk of atmospheric reentry objects, such the upper stages of a launch vehicle or satellites, which move at or near the orbital velocity. The aero-thermodynamic load during the free fall, the temperature variation due to thermal load, and the phase shift after reaching the melting point are integrated into the 3 degree-of-freedom trajectory simulation of the reentry objects to analyze the size and weight of its debris impacting the ground. The analysis results of the present method for simple-shaped objects are compared with the data predicted by similar codes developed by NASA and ESA. Also, the analysis for actual reentry orbital objects has been performed, of which results are compared with the measurement data.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.386-392
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• 2017

This paper considers the analysis of the flight performance reserve, which is required propellant to compensate various launch vehicle performance deviations, to inject the payload of a 3-staged launch vehicle to a circular sun synchronous orbit at a height of 700 km. The various error sources, which affect the orbit injection accuracy, and their uncertainty are defined first. Then the sensitivity analysis, which has the advantage that each error source effect can be investigated independently, is performed for the extreme ${\pm}3{\sigma}$ conditions of the launch vehicle performance errors. Monte carlo simulations are also conducted to compute the propellant reserve, which can consider the combined effects of each error source. Finally the obtained flight performance reserves by the two approaches are compared and it is confirmed that they show similar results.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.54-65
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• 2022

We are developing a compact ignition device that can provide a multi-ignition capability for an upper stage methane engine of a two staged small satellite launch vehicle. Firstly, the multi-ignition device is designed and built as an integral part of an additively manufactured mixing head. Secondly, the ignition device requires no separate high-pressure vessels to store ignition propellants as they are branched out from the main feed lines for the mixing head. We performed experiments at various levels, including igniter autonomous tests, thrust chamber ignition and combustion tests on the new compact ignition device which is integrated in the thrust chamber of one-tonf class liquid oxygen/liquid methane engine, and confirmed stable ignition performance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.43-52
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• 2019

Cryogenic propellant rockets utilize a natural circulation loop of cryogenic fluid to cool the engine inlet temperature before launch. The geometric information about the circulation system, such as length and diameter of the pipes and the heat input to the system, defines the mass flow rate of the natural circulation loop. We performed experiments to verify the natural circulation mass flow rate and compared the results with the analytical results. The comparison of the mass flow rate between experiments and numerical simulations showed a 12% offset. We also included a prediction of the natural circulation flow rate in the low-gravity section and in the acceleration section in the upper stage of the launch vehicle. The oxygen tank should have 100 kPa(a) of pressure in the acceleration section to maintain a high flow rate for the natural circulation loop. In the low-gravity section, there should be an optimal tank pressure that leads to the maximum natural circulation flow rate.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.169-177
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• 2012

This paper considers the explicit guidance algorithm to determine the closed-loop guidance law applicable to upper stages of a given space launch vehicle. It has the advantage of very simple forms derived from the flat earth assumption, which is appropriate for its on-board application. However the simple time-to-go prediction equation produces the degraded guidance performance of the launcher because of its inaccuracy. To overcome the problem, the elaborate prediction equations, which have been employed in Saturn and H-II, are attempted here. Finally, the simulation results show that the simple guidance approach requires the more accurate time-to-go prediction and gravity integrals for its broad application.