What benefits can the next evolution of liquid rocket propulsion provide? Can we bring cargo home from space affordably and more frequently? Dr. John Bradford and Tyler Kunsa from SpaceWorks Enterprises answered these two forward-leaning questions at the 2022 IEEE Aerospace Conference. The annual meeting was held at the Yellowstone Conference Center in Big Sky, Montana.
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In presenting the technical paper "Performance and Business Case Impact Assessment for Launch Systems Utilizing RDRE Propulsion", Dr. Bradford, Chief Technical Officer of SpaceWorks, discussed the advantages of switching from current engine technology to a rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) for propulsion. Several system-level improvements came to light: Launch providers can significantly increase the payload delivery capabilities for the same launcher when retrofit with RDRE propulsion. The improved performance lowers the overall cost-per-kilogram of payload to orbit thereby improving the overall competitiveness of the launcher in the marketplace. Alternatively, the cost-per-kilogram of the system could be maintained and the profit margins for the system increased by enabling the same launch system to deliver more payload. Sam Bornstein, Aerosciences Team Lead at SpaceWorks and Hayden Magill, Economic Analyst at SpaceWorks, co-authored the paper with Bradford.
In reviewing "Suborbital Drop Test to Demonstrate Autonomous Payload Recovery from Low Earth Orbit", Tyler Kunsa, SpaceWorks' Program Manager of the re-entry device (RED) business unit at the company, demonstrated through theory and practice how autonomous payload delivery capabilities will be used to make the return of space-based products more routine and cost efficient. In October of 2021, Kunsa's team conducted a high-altitude flight test of SpaceWorks' RED-4U entry system, employing an autonomously guided parafoil to maneuver the device with high precision to a target landing location. Dr. Ben León, Research Engineer at the Earthly Dynamics Corporation, and Dr. John Bradford co-authored the paper with Kunsa.
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