Basics of Rockets and Missiles

Praveen N
Assistant Professor
Department of Aeronautical Engineering
SJC Institute of Technology, Chickkaballapur
Module 5

ROCKET TESTING

The Rocket Propulsion system has to undergo different types of tests before it is put into the
operational use. The tests are performed in a sequence. The different tests are

1. Manufacturing inspection and fabrication tests:

Tests are individual parts such as dimensional inspection, pressure tests, leak checks,
electro mechanical checks etc.. are performed.
2. Component tests:
Each of the component’s (igniters, valves, thrusters, controls, injectors, structures
etc.,.) function and operation tests are performed.
3. Static rocket system tests:
These tests are performed with complete propulsion system on a test stand. This is
performed in two ways
a. partial or simulated rocket operation tests:
for proper function, calibration, ignition, operation--often without
establishing full thrust or operating for the full duration
b. complete propulsion system tests:
under rated conditions, off-design conditions, with intentional variations in
environment or calibration

For a reusable or restartable rocket propulsion system this can include many
starts, long- duration endurance tests
4. Static vehicle tests:
This is performed when the rocket propulsion system is installed in a restrained, non-
flying vehicle or stage.
5. Flight tests:
These tests are performed with
a. A specially instrumented propulsion system in a developmental flight test ve hicle
b. A production vehicle

Each of these five types of tests can be performed on 3 types of programs

a. Research on and development or improvement of a new (or modified) rocket engine

or motor or their propellants or components.
b. Evaluation of the suitability of a new (or modified) rocket engine or motor for a
specified application or for flight readiness.
c. Production and quality assurance of a rocket propulsion system.

 During the early development phases of a program, many special and unusual tests are
performed on components and complete rockets to prove specific design features and
performance characteristics.
 Special facilities and instrumentation or modification of existing test equipment are used.
  Some special tests are usually conducted to determine the statistical performance and
reliability of a rocket device by operating a number of units of the same design.
 Tests are also made to demonstrate the ability of the rocket to withstand extreme limits of
the operating conditions, such as high and low ambient temperature, variations in fuel
composition, changes in the vibration environment, or exposure to moisture, rain, vacuum, or
rough handling during storage.
 Before an experimental rocket can be flown in a vehicle it usually has to pass a set of
preliminary flight rating tests aimed at demonstrating the rocket's safety, reliability, and
performance.
 A series of tests are carried out under various specified conditions, operating limits, and
performance tolerances, simulated environments, and intentional malfunctions. Thereafter
the rocket may be used in experimental flights.
 These kind of preliminary flight rating tests are known as qualification test or preproduction
test.
 Once the vehicle is qualified, changes in any design or any parameters is forbidden and if
anything needs to be changed, then the vehicle has to undergo requalification tests again to
qualify for the operation.

TEST FACILITIES

To perform checks/tests on a rocket vehicle, a facility has to be provided. Such facilities are called test
facilities. Each rocket design centre has such facilities to verify and validate the design. Each test facility has
the following major systems or components.

 A Test cell or Test bay where the article to be tested is mounted, usually in a special test
fixture. If the test is hazardous, the test facility must have provisions to protect operating personnel
and to limit damage in case of an accident.
 An instrumentation system with associated computers for sensing, maintaining, measuring,
analysing, correcting, and recording various physical and chemical parameters.
 A control system for starting, stopping, and changing the operating conditions.
 Systems for handling heavy or awkward assemblies, supplying liquid propellant, and providing
maintenance, security, and safety.
 In some tests specialized test equipment and unique facilities are needed to conduct static testing
under different environmental conditions or under simulated emergency conditions.

Most rocket propulsion testing is now accomplished in sophisticated facilities under closely controlled
conditions. Modern rocket test facilities are frequently located several miles from the nearest community to
prevent or minimize effects of excessive noise, vibrations, explosions, and toxic exhaust clouds.

SAFEGUARDS

Prior to performing any test, it is common practice to train the test crew and go through repeated dry runs, to
familiarize each person with his or her responsibilities and procedures, including the emergency procedures.

Typical personnel and plant security or safety provisions in a modern test facility include the following:

1. Concrete-walled blockhouse or control stations for the protection of personnel and instruments
remotely from the actual rocket propulsion system location.
2. Remote control, indication, and recording of all hazardous operations and measurements; isolation
of propellants from the instrumentation and control room
3. Automatic or manual water deluge and fire-extinguishing systems.
4. Closed circuit television systems for remotely viewing the test.
5. Warning signals (siren, bells, horns, lights, speakers) to notify personnel to clear the test area prior
to a test, and an all-clear signal when the conditions are no longer hazardous.
6. Quantity and distance restrictions on liquid propellant tankage and solid propellant storage to
minimize damage in the event of explosions; separation of liquid fuels and oxidizers.
7. Barricades around hazardous test articles to reduce shrapnel damage in the event of a blast.
 8. Explosion-proof electrical systems, spark-proof shoes, and nonspark hand tools to prvent ignition of
flammable materials.
9. For certain propellants also safety clothing, including propellant- and fire-resistant suits, face masks
and shields, gloves, special shoes, and hard hats.
10. Rigid enforcement of rules governing area access, smoking, safety inspections, and so forth.
11. Limitations on the number of personnel that may be in a hazardous area at any time.

INSTRUMENTATION AND DATA MANAGEMENT

Instrumentation and data management is required during the rocket tes ting to measure the
physical quantities. Instruments are used to measure the quantities and the computers are used
for data management while rocket testing.

Some of the physical quantities measured in rocket testing are as follows:

1. Forces ((thrust, thrust vector control side forces, short thrust pulses).
2. Flows (hot and cold gases, liquid fuel, liquid oxidizer, leakage)
3. Pressures (chamber, propellant, pump, tank, etc.).
4. Temperatures (chamber walls, propellant, structure, and nozzle).
5. Timing and command sequencing of valves, switches, igniters, etc.
6. Stresses, strains, and vibrations (combustion chamber, structures, propellant lines,
accelerations of vibrating parts)
7. Time sequence of events (ignition, attainments of full pressure).
8. Movement and position of parts (valve stems, gimbal position, deflection of parts under
load or heat).
9. Voltages, frequencies, and currents in electrical or control subsystems.
10. Visual observations (flame configuration, test article failures, explosions) using high -speed
cameras or video cameras.
11. Special quantities such as turbopump shaft speed, liquid levels in propellant tanks, burning
rates, flame luminosity, or exhaust gas composition.

Measurement System

Each measurement or each measuring system usually requires one or more sensi ng elements
(often called transducers or pickups), a device for recording, displaying, and/or indicating the
sensed information, and often also another device for conditioning, amplifying, correcting, or
transforming the sensed signal into the form suitable for recording, indicating, display, or analysis.
Recording of rocket test data has been performed in several ways, such as on chart recorders or
in digital form on memory devices, such as on magnetic tapes or disks.

Computers

Computers have become commonplace in the testing and handling of data in rocket propulsion.
They are usually coupled with sensors (e.g., pressure transducers, actuator position indicators,
temperature sensors, liquid level gauges,
etc.), which provide the data inputs, with controllers (valve actuators, thrust vector controllers,
thrust termination devices) which receive commands resulting from the computer outputs causing
a change in the sensed quantity, and
with auxiliaries such as terminals, data storage devices, or printers

Computers are used in one or more of the following ways:

1. analysis of test data
2. recording and documenting test records.
3. Sensing and evaluating failures or over limit conditions
4. Simulation of tests
5. Control of test operation
FLIGHT TESTING

 Flight testing of rocket propulsion systems is always conducted in conjunction with tests of
vehicles and other systems such as guidance, vehicle controls, or ground support (Ground
Testing).
 These flights usually occur along missile and space launch ranges, sometimes over t he
ocean.
 If a flight test vehicle deviates from its intended path and appears to be headed for a
populated area, a range safety official (or a computer) will have to either cause a
destruction of the vehicle, abort the flight, or cause it to correct its c ourse.
 Flight testing requires special launch support equipment, means for observing, monitoring,
and recording data (cameras, radar, telemetering, etc.), equipment for assuring range
safety and for reducing data and evaluating flight test performance, and specially trained
personnel
 Different launch equipment is needed for different kinds of vehicles .
 During experimental flights extensive measurements are often made on the behavio ur of
the various vehicle subsystems.

POST ACClDENT PROCEDURES

 In the testing of any rocket propulsion system there will invariably be failures, particularly
when some of the operating parameters are close to their limit.
 With each failure comes an opportunity to learn more about the design, the materials, the
propulsion performance, the fabrication methods, or the test procedures.
 The lessons to be learned from these failures are perhaps the most important benefits of
testing.
 A formalized postaccident approach is often used, particularly if the failure had a major
impact, such as high cost, major damage, or personnel injury.

Steps/Procedures to be followed in case of major failure or emergency

a. giving first aid to injured personnel

b. bringing the propulsion system and/or the test facilities to a safe, stable
condition
c. limiting further damage from chemical hazards to the facility or the environment
d. working with local fire departments, medical or emergency maintenance staff
or ambulance personnel, and debris clearing crews
e. quickly providing factual statements to the management, the e mployees, the
news media, and the public.
f. controlling access to the facility where the failure has occurred
g. preserving evidence for the subsequent investigation.
h. the supervisory people, need to be trained not only in preventing accidents and
minimizing the impact of a potential failure, but also how to best respond to the
emergency.

MATERIALS

Selection of the proper materials for the design and construction of rockets and missiles plays a
vital role in the spacecraft mission. The materials selected should meet the specific requirements
of the mission. A selection criteria has to be followed for material selection. This selection criteria
is for materials used for
1. Rocket Motor casing
2. Propulsion system(Solid or Liquid)
3. Guidance and control systems
 4. Nozzles
5. Warheads for missiles etc.,.

The materials used for each of categories mentioned above will be of different kind. But however
the materials has to meet the designed mission requirements

Criteria for selection of materials for rockets and missiles

Materials selected for the design has to meet some criteria. The criteria for selection of materials
are as below.

1. It should have High Specific Strength

2. It should have high Specific Modulus
3. It should provide fabrication easiness
4. It should be easily available
5. It should meet critical requirements
6. It should be capable of operating at all service conditions

Requirements for choice of materials:

Liners:

 The materials should not contain any oxidizing ingredients

 They must be chemically compatible with the propellant and each other to avoid migration
or changes in material composition.
 They must have good adhesive strength so that they stay boned to the propellant
 The temperature at which they suffer damage or experience a large surface regression
should be high.
 They should have a low specific gravity thus reducing inert mass
 It should be a soft stretchable rubber type thin material

Insulators:

 The selected material (often serves the function of liner) has to provide good bonding
between propellant and insulator or insulator and case.
 It must be erosion resistant particularly in the insulation of motor aft end or blast tube.
 It should be chemically resistant to the hot gas and the impact of particulates.
 It must provide good thermal resistance and low thermal conductivity to limit heat transfer
to the case
 It should allow a large deformation or strain to accommodate grain deflections upon
pressurization or temperature cycling and transfer loads between the grain and case.
 The surface regression should be minimal so as to retain much of its original geometric
surface contour and allow a thin insulator.

Inhibitors:

An inhibitor is usually made of the same kinds of materials as internal in sulators. Hence the
requirements of choice of materials are same as Insulators.

Note: write the same points as of insulators for inhibitors also.

Cryogenic Temperautures:

 It should be metals which are ductile

 It should withstand low temperatures
 Stainless steel is used.

A cryogenic technology is the process of involvement or including of usage of rocket propellants at a

cryogenic temperature. It can be the combination of liquid fuels such as: Liquid Oxygen (LOX), and
liquid hydrogen (LH2) as an oxidizer and fuel in the different mixtures or proportions. The mixture of
fuels offers the highest energy efficiency for the rocket engines that produces very high amount of
thrust. Here, the oxygen remains liquid only at the temperature below (–183 C) and hydrogen at below
(–253 C). This is a type of rocket engine that is functionally designed to use the oxidizer which must
be refrigerated in the liquid state. Sometimes, the liquid nitrogen (LN2) is sometimes used as a fuel
because the exhaust is also nitrogen. Liquid oxygen is injected below critical temperature but above
critical pressure. In our atmosphere nitrogen is nearly about 78%. Nitrogen is a non pollutant gas and
during exhaust no other harmful gases are produced. Hence its efficiency is very high than any other
Jet engines.

Note: Study the requirements of materials at extremely high temperatures and for pressure vessels
from ICM. Same materials are used.