What is the engine Raptor Elon musk

2017-10-19 10:23

What is the engine Raptor Elon musk
Perhaps the most important component is represented Loom Musk of the concept of the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) aimed at the conquest of Mars, is the newest rocket engine Raptor.

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What it represents better than existing counterparts?

The loudest project

Any rocket engine is part of a program that has, in turn, well-defined goals. So, the famous Soviet RD-170 was developed specially for super heavy rocket “Energy”, and the American RS-25 — for the “space Shuttle”. It was all part of a cosmic confrontation between the superpowers.

By analogy with the already mentioned products “Raptor” is also created for quite specific tasks. Sometimes the engine recall in the context created by SpaceX of the Falcon 9 rocket, which has a reusable first stage. This is no accident. In 2016, the company signed with the U.S. air force contract worth $ 33.6 million dollars to develop a prototype engine, “Raptor”, which is intended for use on the upper stage of the rocket Falcon 9 and prospective Falcon Heavy. In General, these missiles used modern engines Merlin 1D+ 1D and Merlin+ Vacuum created, by the way, is also in the depths of SpaceX. So “Falcone” can fly without “Raptor”, quietly performing their tasks.

The concept of “Raptor” comes from another story. He is part of a larger project Mask called Interplanetary Transport System. This is, without a doubt, the most ambitious program in the history of SpaceX. Within it want to create giant reusable launch vehicle with a diameter of 12 meters and displayed it on a huge orbit a manned spacecraft with a diameter of 17 meters. The third major component is similar in appearance to the ship itself, the spacecraft tanker. It is assumed that the capacity of a manned spacecraft will be approximately 100 people. For comparison, the maximum crew of “space Shuttle” was eight people. And Soyuz can accommodate up to three people, and they feel onboard, to put it mildly, a bit crowded.

The spacecraft system Interplanetary Transport System.

The 50-metre ship the Mask will look like a giant on the background do all space ships that existed ever. It want to install as many as nine sustainers Raptor. But it’s flowers, because the launch vehicle plan to install a 42 (!) “Raptor”. No rocket in history, whether American “Saturn 5” or secular N-1, not even close to be compared to the possibilities with the creation of the Mask.

Launch Of Interplanetary Transport System.

Why Raptor?

And this raises the legitimate question: why Musk chose the tool to perform such complex task, “Raptor”? The first interesting decision was the choice of fuel. The engine runs on liquid methane and liquid oxygen instead of kerosene RP-1 and liquid oxygen, as in the case of Falcon 9 rocket. This gives several advantages. A pair of liquid methane/liquid oxygen has a high enough density that does not require a substantial increase in the tanks when necessary extra fuel. Earlier, SpaceX engineers also considered the option that have not been used for methane, and liquid hydrogen. But the latter is more aggressive towards used in rocket materials, so this idea was abandoned.

In comparison with a couple of RP-1/liquid oxygen, the use of the engine “Raptor” chosen couple will reduce the amount of generated soot in engines that will reduce the cost of pre-launch preparation of missiles and will improve the reliability of engines. Finally, methane is available and relatively cheap fuel that can be extracted directly on Mars, which is critical in the project of colonization of Mars, which encouraged Musk.

Engine Raptor

The Raptor engine will be another major advantage, not counting the successfully selected the “methane” scheme. “Raptor” will be the first in the world to run in full-scale production of liquid-propellant rocket engine with a closed cycle polnomochnom — efficient closed cycle.

Closed loop applied, in particular, on the engine, “space Shuttle” RS-25, as well as in several domestic engines, in particular RD-180. But used in the “Raptor” paleobotany closed loop up to now seen engineers a kind of “unattainable ideal”. Anyway, if we talk about serial products.

RS-25

This issue is considered in more detail. Have the rocket engine with a closed circuit is one of the components is gasified in the gas generator by burning at a relatively low temperature with a small part of another component. The resulting hot gas is used as the working fluid of the turbine turbopump unit. Work on the turbine generator gas eventually enters the combustion chamber of the engine, which also serves part of the unused component of the fuel. In the combustion chamber finishes the combustion components and creates the thrust.

Liquid rocket engine cycle closed

In the case of PANOPTICON will speed the cycle of combustion is gasification of fuel in two gas generators. In one of them a minor part of the fuel is burned with almost complete consumption of the oxidant and the other an almost complete consumption of fuel is burned with the remnants of the oxidant.

Actually, nothing superresolution” this concept has no. The selected scheme was used in the Soviet RD-270, which was created back in the 60s. However, it is the fuel used is highly toxic and unloved by environmentalists heptyl. The project of this engine shut down along with downsizing of the project of the Soviet lunar rocket UR-700, for which it was intended.

Finally, the most important thing not to mention in light of the intentions of a Mask. It is unknown how the fate of Interplanetary Transport System: after all, in this case SpaceX sights on something almost unbelievable. But the Raptor is a very realistic goal to have already proven their ability.

Interplanetary Transport System /

In favor of this show and the first successful test firing of the engine, held last fall. Sorry, details of the characteristics of the “Raptor” at that time, were not announced. Obviously, ahead of us in many interesting details of the news. It remains only to be patient and wait.

Test engine “Raptor”