• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.138-142
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• 2010

The thrust axis alignment of the launch vehicle is very important because of the misalignment causes the unstable attitude control and results in mission failure. Generally, optical methods such as digital theodolite and laser tracker and mechanical method such as turn table method are used to align thrust axis to vehicle axis. This article deals with the simple method of thrust axis alignment of Kick Motor.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.77-84
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• 2006

With the development of micro/nano spacecraft, concepts of micro propulsion are introduced for orbit transfer and drag compensation as well as attitude control. Micro solid propellant thruster has been attention as one of possible solution for micro thruster. In this paper, micro solid propellant thruster is introduced and research on basic components of a micro solid propellant thruster is reported. Micro Pt igniter was fabricated through negative patterning and quantitative effect of geometry was estimated. The characteristic of HTPB/AP solid propellant was investigated to measure the homing velocity. A combustion chamber was fabricated by means of anisotropic etching of photosensitive glass. Finally, micro solid propellant thrusters having various geometries were fabricated and tested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2010

Design and performance evaluation of $H_2O_2$ monopropellant thrusters to be used at reaction control of space launch vehicles were presented in this paper. Design thrust level was determined as 100, 250 Newton which is nominal thrust level for commercial space launch vehicles. Qualification thruster models including solenoid valves were developed after the reactor design were evaluated at engineering thruster models. Each thruster was evaluated by measurement of characteristic velocity, thrust, specific impulse, and pulse response times at sea level test condition.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2009

In this article, we fabricated polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) nozzle treated by ion beam, in order to fabricate polymer based electrospray micro thruster with super hydrophobic nozzle. To obtain the super hydrophobic surface, PTFE surface is treated by argon and oxygen plasma treatment process. The optimal condition is investigated argon and oxygen flow rate as well as the paalied energy level for the treatment process. Fabricated nozzle was evaluated by measuring contact angle, and the surface morphology was examined by using scanning electron microscope(SEM) and atomic force microscope(AFM). We observe that jetting becomes more stable and repeatable on the treated nozzle. And to evaluate performance of fabricated nozzle, we measure micro scale thrust using a cantilever and a nozzle treated by ion beam laser displacement sensor.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.393-397
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• 2006

In this study, combustion characteristics of solid propellants using sorbitol and potassium nitrate were found out. Burning rate was calculated with several combustion experiments, also specific impulse and characteristic exhaust velocity were compared with theoretical value. Thrust measured with thrust measurement system using plate spring. Mixture ratio of propellants was varied in experiments, also combustion characteristics of solid propellants which consulted experimental results was used micro solid rocket design having 1mm nozzle throat.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.758-759
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• 2010

In this study, it was experimentally confirmed that the phenomenon of resonance effect of wave drag in two wavy walls. The channel had saw-tooth type of relief surfaces when supersonic gas flows into this channel. Experiment was carried out on the differential apparatus by conducting the comparative test of two nozzles (round sonic nozzle and two-dimensional nozzle with wavy walls). The two-dimensional nozzle was joined alternately with flat walls which had saw-tooth type of symmetrical and asymmetric reliefs. Two-dimensional nozzle was designed for the M=3 and profiled parabolic contour.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.358-362
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• 2005

An effective control of the axial thrust of a turbopump is one of the critical issues for its operational stability. In order to assure the stability of a turbopump-type fuel pump for a liquid rocket engine, an axial thrust measurement system was developed and a series of axial thrust tests were performed in water environment. In the tests, the axial thrust of the fuel pump at the design flowrate satisfied the axial force condition of the bearing of the pump. Also, it was found that by using orifices with different geometries in the secondary flow passage the overall axial thrust of the pump could be controlled.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.495-499
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• 2005

The INHA Rocket Research Institute changed the Ceramic nozzle material of their developed Solid Composite Propellant Motor with Teflon nozzle material. Static firings of the new Solid Rocket Motors was conducted on Thurst Tester to validate the increase in performance. The new enhanced Solid Roket Motor increased the total impulse by 18.3 percent while improving its reliability. The new process of manufacture reduced the time to produce a nozzle.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2001

This paper presents the REA thrusters performance estimation results for the KOREASAT F1&F2 launched in 1995 The satellite tracking data obtained from the ground system from end of 1999 to beginning of the 2000 are used to estimate the thruster performance. The estimation algorithm is derived from the least square estimation theory and designed to estimate the velocity change induced by the on-boarded thruster firing as well as the orbit parameter. The estimation results show that the Koreasat F1 thruster are in bad thruster condition of 64% performance for REA when it fires in on-pulse mode. Here, the performance is defined by the ratio of the resulted velocity change to that of planned. But, in the case o( the Koreasat F2, it is found that the performance approximately reaches up to 100%, even after the 5 years of the mission.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.135-138
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• 2011

As a basic research for the development of Korean lunar lander, propulsion system development for ground test is in progress. Thrust for descent is 200 N class. Design target is 220 N in vacuum thrust at 100 g/s flow rate, 200 psi chamber pressure. For ground test, thrust measurement system using LM guide was developed and test was performed. The result shows 160 N thrust in atmosphere condition at 210 psi chamber pressure.