What is it about?
The dual-bell rocket nozzle has been predicted to have higher performance over a conventional-bell nozzle, both through analysis and static test data. The focus of this paper is on plans to test the dual-bell nozzle in a relevant flight environment to validate previous predictions.
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Why is it important?
Despite the predicted performance benefit of the dual-bell rocket nozzle, this technology has yet to be adequately tested in a relevant environment. If testing in a relevant environment validates previous predictions, the dual-bell nozzle could offer an increase in the payload mass delivered to orbit for a launch vehicle.
Perspectives
The NASA F-15 aircraft, when combined with the Propulsion Flight Test Fixture, offers a unique method to test advanced technologies in a relevant flight environment. Advancing a technology such as the dual-bell rocket nozzle requires accurate testing in a relevant environment to measure the performance benefit. Captive-carried flight testing on the F-15 aircraft will allow the dual-bell nozzle performance to be more accurately measured over most other test techniques, and could ultimately prove that the dual-bell nozzle would be beneficial for implementation on some operational launch vehicles.
Daniel S Jones
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Conceptual Design for a Dual-Bell Rocket Nozzle System Using a NASA F-15 Airplane as the Flight Testbed, July 2014, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2014-3956.
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