Ricardo Dyrgalla (1910–1970), pioneer of rocket development in Argentina

One of the most important developers of liquid propellant rocket engines in Argentina was Polish-born Ricardo Dyrgalla. Dyrgalla immigrated to Argentina from the United Kingdom in 1946, where he had been studying German weapons development at the end of the Second World War. A trained pilot and aeronautical engineer, he understood the intricacies of rocket propulsion and was eager to find practical applications to his recently gained knowledge.Dyrgalla arrived in Argentina during Juan Perón's first presidency, a time when technicians from all over Europe were being recruited to work in various projects for the recently created Argentine Air Force.Shortly after immigrating, Dyrgalla proposed to develop an advanced air-launched weapon, the Tábano, based on a rocket engine of his design, the AN-1. After a successful development program, the Tábano was tested between 1949 and 1951; however, the project was canceled by the government shortly after. Today, the AN-1 rocket engine is recognized as the first liquid propellant rocket to be developed in South America. Besides the AN-1, Dyrgalla also developed several other rockets systems in Argentina, including the PROSON, a solid-propellant rocket launcher developed by the Argentine Institute of Science and Technology for the Armed Forces (CITEFA). In the late 1960s, Dyrgalla and his family relocated to Brazil due mostly to the lack of continuation of rocket development in Argentina. There, he worked for the Institute of Aerospace Technology (ITA) until his untimely death in 1970. Ricardo Dyrgalla deserves to be recognized among the world's rocket pioneers and his contribution to the science and engineering of rocketry deserves a special place in the history of South America's rocketry and space flight advocacy programs.     

Eugen Sänger: Eminent space pioneer

In international literature on astronautics, three main space pioneers are mentioned: Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky, Robert H. Goddard and Hermann Oberth. There are other two space pioneers that are very rarely mentioned: Robert Esnault-Pelterie and Eugen Sänger. Pelterie is known particularly in Europe, and Sänger is mentioned in the second half of the 20th century normally only in connection with space shuttle flights.Taking a look at Sänger's work and heritage, it is obvious that he greatly influenced the development of astronautics in terms of purely theoretical dissertations on achievable limits of space research as well as in terms of technical approaches to achieving the short- and long-term goals of astronautics, and in terms of setting tasks for organizing mankind to achieve these goals. Sänger's book “The Technology of Rocket Flight” was the first study based not only on basic research, but also on the applied research that he conducted and the findings of which he published in various papers. Sänger was clearly connected with and influenced the development of two experimental research groups in the US in the 1930s, which resulted in two of the most significant companies in the US in the 1950s that manufactured liquid propellant rocket engines. Basic and applied research in the field of space planes resulted in construction of rocket planes such as the US space shuttle and Soviet Buran shuttle.Sänger's research on subsonic and supersonic ramjets in combination with a turbojet engine provided a basis for developing this promising propulsion for use in subsequent space planes designed for flights into low Earth orbits. His pioneering work on the photon rocket represents human achievements in reaching almost unimaginable limits of space research.By striving for a peaceful international approach to space research, Sänger participated in establishing the non-governmental organization IAF (International Astronautical Federation) and realized his idea that space research is a concern for all mankind. He was therefore appointed the first president of the IAF.The paper presents how Sänger influenced the development of rocket technology and astronautics, which definitely ranks him with the first three space pioneers.     

Lessons from half a century experience of Japanese solid rocketry since Pencil rocket

50 years have passed since a tiny rocket “Pencil” was launched horizontally at Kokubunji near Tokyo in 1955. Though there existed high level of rocket technology in Japan before the end of the second World War, it was not succeeded by the country after the War. Pencil therefore was the substantial start of Japanese rocketry that opened the way to the present stage.In the meantime, a rocket group of the University of Tokyo contributed to the International Geophysical Year in 1957–1958 by developing bigger rockets, and in 1970, the group succeeded in injecting first Japanese satellite OHSUMI into earth orbit. It was just before the launch of OHSUMI that Japan had built up the double feature system of science and applications in space efforts. The former has been pursued by ISAS (the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science) of the University of Tokyo, and the latter by NASDA (National Space Development Agency). This unique system worked quite efficiently because space activities in scientific and applicational areas could develop rather independently without affecting each other.Thus Japan's space science ran up rapidly to the international stage under the support of solid propellant rocket technology, and, after a 20 year technological introduction period from the US, a big liquid propellant launch vehicle, H-II, at last was developed on the basis of Japan's own technology in the early 1990's. On October 1, 2003, as a part of Governmental Reform, three Japanese space agencies were consolidated into a single agency, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Japan's space efforts began to walk toward the future in a globally coordinated fashion, including aeronautics, astronautics, space science, satellite technology, etc., at the same time. This paper surveys the history of Japanese rocketry briefly, and draws out the lessons from it to make a new history of Japan's space efforts more meaningful.     

基于神经网络的液体火箭发动机泄漏检测方法

针对液体火箭发动机在热试车过程中出现的推进剂泄漏现象进行了分析，提出采用神经网络法对发动机相关参数进行检测，以发现发动机在工作过程中的推进剂泄漏。研究结果表明，利用神经网络实现推进剂泄漏的及时检测是可行的。     

纳米技术在液体火箭发动机上的应用

介绍了纳米技术在液体火箭发动机的应用现状,对今后纳米技术在液体火箭发动机的应用前景和效果作了初步探讨。重点叙述了我国自行研制的液氧／煤油高压补燃发动机上采用的纳米技术及一些工艺方法,同时将它们的试验情况作了对比分析。提出了今后在液体火箭发动机中采用纳米技术的设想和建议。     

泵压式氢/氧液体火箭发动机质量分析

在文献资料研究的基础上,根据泵压式氢/氧液体火箭发动机的实际特点,考虑发动机性能参数及结构尺寸等影响因素,利用理论推导、统计学及面密度等方法建立发动机质量模型。通过对SSME、RD-0120等8台氢/氧发动机质量的计算,验证了质量模型的合理性。为发动机在系统方案论证时,其质量、性能等参数的估算和优化奠定了基础。     

低温推进剂火箭发动机预冷方案研究

对国内外低温推进剂火箭发动机采用的排放预冷、自然循环预冷和强制循环预冷等预冷方案进行了综述。介绍了国内新一代运载火箭使用的新型低温液体发动机的预冷研究。对液氧煤油发动机预冷方案中推进剂类型、发动机所在子级、自然循环多因素综合等影响方案的主要因素,以及发动机预冷方案中的维护、沸腾传热与两相流数值模拟等关键技术进行了分析。     

可贮存推进剂火箭增压气体与泵入口压力关系研究

根据氦气和氮气在可贮存推进剂中的溶解度与发动机泵入口压力关系，以及对美国上面级火箭“阿金纳”增压系统的分析，计算和研究，对我国可贮存推进剂上面级火箭的发动机泵入口压力要求和增压输送系统进行分析和研究，认为采用氦气增压，我国可贮存推进剂上面级火箭发动机氧化剂泵入口压力要求可以大幅度地降低，较大地提高火箭的运载能力，并提出相应的改进建议。     

偏二甲肼组分变化对火箭发动机稳态工作性能的影响

通过建立液体发动机稳态工作模型与热力计算模型,利用最小二乘优化与迭代计算的方法,仿真研究了被空气部分氧化的偏二甲肼(UDMH)对泵压式液体火箭发动机的影响规律。结果表明,随着UDMH中二甲胺、偏腙和水含量的增加,推进剂混合比略有升高,发动机推力、燃烧室压强和燃烧室温度等参数有较明显下降。与传统地单纯分析推进剂能量性能相比,此方法更能准确表征在火箭发动机系统复杂的调节机制作用下,变质推进剂对发动机工作性能的影响。     

Non-stationary heat behaviour of liquid propellant rocket engines

The transient behaviour of the liquid propellant rocket engine is accompanied by non-stationary heat processes in the combustion chamber, the cooling jacket, and the injector. Based on the analysis of the phenomena, which take place in the liquid propellant rocket engine after cut-off command, the major stages of the curve of the rocket thrust drop were defined. A mathematical model of heat processes is suggested, which includes the calculation of transient heat transfer in the chamber, and the detection of boiling-up of the liquid fuel components in the cooling jacket and in the injector. The determination of the law of the rocket thrust drop and a calculation of the after-effect impulse (AEI) are presented. The calculated transient heat flux the combustion chamber and the transient wall temperatures were compared with experimental data, which were received during starting, and with the impulsive behaviour of the liquid propellant rocket engine.     

四氧化二氮凝胶推进剂的配方研究

针对四氧化二氮（NTO）的特殊氧化性,筛选了三种不同胶凝剂与NTO形成凝胶,对其流变性能进行研究,并结合发动机试验、限流圈试验、发动机头部液流试验,验证了其与偏二甲肼（UDMH）凝胶组成的双组元推进剂用于凝胶发动机试验的可行性。结果表明：单一胶凝剂和NTO形成的凝胶体系不能满足凝胶发动机的要求,而复合胶凝剂YN61＋YN71与NTO形成的凝胶体系具有粘度高、所需剪切力低的优异流变性能,基本能满足凝胶发动机的要求。     

贝叶斯分类器在液体火箭发动机故障诊断中的应用

研究数据挖掘技术在火箭发动机故障诊断中的应用,利用两种典型的贝叶斯分类器——朴素贝叶斯分类器和TAN分类器对液体火箭发动机故障进行分类,对某型号液体火箭发动机的试车数据和仿真数据进行了故障诊断,结果和实际试车情况相符,从而验证了贝叶斯分类器可以应用于液体火箭发动机故障诊断。     

内窥镜检测方法技术研究

通过对内窥镜检测技术的归纳、分析,并根据液体火箭发动机的结构特点和常见缺陷情况,提出了采用制作、积累缺陷样件,将内窥镜检查技术与计算机技术相结合的方法,实现对发动机内表面缺陷及多余物的定性、测量的实验方案。在试验基础上,对各种内表面缺陷在内窥镜中的形貌特征及判断方法进行了描述,并根据多组试验数据,制作了内窥镜检查的缺陷尺寸对比曲线。同时介绍了该方法在液体火箭发动机各重要零、部、组件上的应用情况。     

补燃循环发动机推力调节研究

推力调节是提高液体火箭发动机适应性和运载火箭性能的有效措施。研究认为补燃循环发动机最佳的推力调节方案是调节预燃室中较少组元的流量。通过控制预燃室的温度,改变涡轮泵的功率,最终达到调节推力的目的。由于补燃循环发动机推力调节时。对预燃室温度的影响较大,推力向上调节幅度不宜过大,但可进行较大幅度的向下调节。上述推力调节方案对发动机比冲的影响很小,可以忽略不计;对发动机混合比的影响也较小,只需在大范围推力调节时考虑;推力调节速率不宜过快,应小于20％／s。     

基于压力变送器及智能仪表的箱压自动控制技术

目前发动机地面试验过程中的泵入口压力控制主要是通过控制介质贮箱内压力来实现的.介绍了大型液体火箭发动机研制试验中介质贮箱压力自动控制的一种新方法,这种方法集试验过程信号采集、动态工艺参数显示、上下限设定值显示、报警显示输出及自动控制为一体,减小了手动调节箱压继电器的操作误差,使系统的可靠性得到了很大程度的提高.     

液体火箭发动机水击特性仿真及试验研究

建立了液体火箭发动机水击压力的模型,进行了数值仿真和试验对比分析,研究了影响液体火箭发动机水击压力的影响因素,讨论了发动机关机后推进剂管路的压力瞬变特性,从而验证了数值模拟的正确性。     

可贮存推进剂泵压式液体火箭发动机多次起动系统研究

在推力超过一定量级、任务时间较长的情况下,泵压式发动机比挤压式发动机具有明显的技术优势。从国内外上面级及重型空间飞行器推进系统的发展需求来看,均要求其主发动机具有多次起动工作的能力。针对采用可贮存推进剂的泵压式液体发动机多次起动需求,对几种可选的多次起动系统方案进行了比较分析,介绍了起动箱式起动系统的研究情况。     

空间热物理技术发展的探讨

文章以航天器和火箭发动机中的工程热物理问题为背景,探讨了航天器热控技术的现状和发展趋势,介绍了火箭发动机热设计、推进剂燃烧等问题的发展方向.     

空间发动机真空起动点火时差及其实现方法

液体火箭发动机在真空中起动时，燃烧室内易产生三相共存的状态，其中凝聚相能引起不正常的起动压力峰而损坏发动机。本文研究了甲基肼和四氧化二氮组合为推进剂时真空起动的点火时差，以便尽量减少着火前上述状态的存在程度。给出了利用控制阀通电时差、充填时差和控制阀响应时差这三种起动方式来实现该点火时差的方法。前两种方法已在某远地点发动机上使用并获得成功。     

低温发动机试验推进剂入口温度控制

阐述了低温发动机起动前推进剂入口温度对试车的重要性,分析了以往试车入口温度过高的原因。通过对试验系统的改造,采用强迫排放推进剂的方法,降低发动机入口推进剂温度,保证发动机在起动前推进剂入口温度满足试验要求。经试车验证,所采取措施成功解决了试验系统存在的推进剂入口温度过高的问题。