Propulsion Information

General

Engine Types

• Rocket Engines
  • Solid Rocket Motors
  • Liquid Rocket Engines
  • Satellite Propulsion Systems
  • Advanced Concepts
• Airbreathing Engines
  • Some Basic Concepts
  • Turbojet Engines
  • Turbofan Engines
  • Turboprop and Turboshaft Engines
  • Ramjet and Scramjet Engines
  • VTOL and other advanced concepts

Useful Propulsion Data

Fundamental Properties of Internal Fluid Flows

• 1-D Isentropic Flow
  • Gamma=1.4
  • Gamma=1.3
  • Gamma=1.2
• Normal Shocks
• Fanno Flow
• Rayleigh Flow
• Rocket Thrust Coefficient Tables
  • Gamma=1.4
  • Gamma=1.3
  • Gamma=1.2
• U.S. Standard Atmosphere

Combustion and Thermochemical Data

• Specific Heat Data for Common Gases
• NASA Thermochemistry Code - Sample Input Files
• Heats of Formation and Chemical Composition
• Constant Pressure Equilibrium Constants (Kp Data)

Cool Video Clips

• Test Firing (2.2 MB) at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory, Alliant Techsystems, Inc.
  • Gas exit velocity : 7000 ft/sec.
  • Max horsepower: 70,000 HP.  (It is almost same horsepower generated by 80 Indy cars! (Maximum horsepower of a typical Indy car : 800 HP ~ 900 HP) )
• Shuttle Launch (SSME) (1.2 MB)
• Shuttle Launch (SRB) (1.2 MB)
• Test Firing of Separation Motor (Orbital Science) (5.6 MB)
  • 2000 frames/second Hi-Speed Video
  • January 15, 2001

Links

Chemistry

• Chemical Propulsion Information Agency (CPIA) - "Clearinghouse for information, data, and analysis on chemical, electrical, and nuclear propulsion for missile, space, and gun propulsion systems."
• NIST Chemistry Webbook – A search engine for chemistry information.
• Periodic Table of the Elements - from MIT
• The Wired Chemist

General Propulsion

• Andrew’s Space and Technology Page – Launch vehicle information and current launch events.
• Beginner's Guide to Propulsion - Great information about all aspects of propulsion.
• ePower-Propulsion - "Resource for power and propulsion engineering."
• Mark Wade’s Encyclopedia Astronautica – An awesome compendium of lots of rocket/engine/propellant data.
• NASA SP-125: Design of Liquid Rocket Engines - The bible for the design of liquid rocket engines.
• University of Southern California's (USC) Spacecraft and Rockets - Information about astronautics and spacecraft design.

Industry

• Advanced Micro Turbines - "Designs and manufactures small gas turbines for the propulsion of radio-controlled flying aircraft, experimental aircraft development, and military target and surveillance drones."
• Boeing - Homepage
• General Kinetics - Homepage
• General Dynamics - Homepage
• Lockheed Martin - Homepage
• Northrop Grumman - Homepage
• Rolls-Royce - Homepage
• Snecma Moteurs – Large aircraft and rocket engines.
• Turbine Technologies - "Manufacturer of educational laboratory products."

Model Rockets

• Apogee Rockets - General information about and products for model rocketry.
• Rocketry for Educators - Provide useful information about using model rockets in classrooms.
• Hitchikers Guide to Model Rocketry - Information about building your own model rockets.
• Rocketry Top 50 – List of rocket sites for hobbyists.
• Rocket Workbench Project - "Open source software tools for the design of experimental rockets" and online books.

Miscellaneous

• California Radio Control Jet Association - "Dedicated to keeping and promoting the flying of ducted fan and turbine R.C. aircraft."
• Heavens Above – Find your coordinates or where objects are in space.
• X-Prize - Competition to jumpstart the space tourism industry.

Technical Societies and Government Pages

• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) - "The principal society of the aerospace engineer and scientist."
• NASA - Homepage
• NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center: Space Transportation - In charge of the Space Launch Initiative.
• NASA Technical Reports Server - Search engine of NASA's scientific and technical information.