A REVIEW OF UNITED STATES AIR FORCE and DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Aerospace Propulsion Needs
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance.
This is a report of work supported by Grant F49620-01-1-0269 between the U.S. Air Force and the National Academy of Sciences. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
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International Standard Book Number-13 978-0-309-10247-6
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COMMITTEE ON AIR FORCE AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AEROSPACE PROPULSION NEEDS
KENNETH E. EIC KMANN, Chair,
U.S. Air Force (retired)
DONALD W. BAHR, Independent Consultant
DILIP R. BALLAL,
University of Dayton, Ohio
YVONNE C. BRILL, Independent Consultant
DENNIS M. BUSHNELL,
NASA Langley Research Center
PAUL G.A. CIZMAS,
Texas A&M University
CHARLES H. COOLIDGE,
EADS North America Defense Company
DAVID E. CROW,
University of Connecticut
THOMAS W. EAGAR,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
GERARD W. ELVERUM, Independent Consultant
CARL E. FRANKLIN,
International Falcon Associates, Inc.
FRANK C. GILLETTE, Independent Consultant
EDWARD M. GREITZER,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
JEFFREY W. HAMSTRA,
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
BERNARD L. KOFF,
TurboVision
MITSURU KUROSAKA,
University of Washington, Seattle
D. BRIAN LANDRUM,
University of Alabama, Huntsville
IVETT A. LEYVA,
Microcosm, Inc.*
LOURDES Q. MAURICE,
Federal Aviation Administration
NEIL E. PATON,
Liquidmetal Technologies
LAWRENCE P. QUINN,
Aerojet
ELI RESHOTKO,
Case Western Reserve University (emeritus)
KENNETH M. ROSEN,
General Aero-Science Consultants, LLC
ROBERT L. SACKHEIM,
NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center**
BEN T. ZINN,
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
Staff
JAMES C. GARCIA, Study Director
DANIEL E.J. TALMAGE, JR., Program Officer
CARTER W. FORD, Research Associate
WILLIAM E. CAMPBELL, Senior Program Associate
LaNITA R. JONES, Senior Program Assistant
LINDA D. VOSS, Technical Writer
AIR FORCE STUDIES BOARD
LAWRENCE J. DELANEY, Chair, Independent Consultant
R. NOEL LONGUEMARE, Vice Chair, Independent Consultant
FRANK J. CAPPUCCIO,
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
THOMAS DARCY, EADS
North America Defense Company
STEVEN D. DORFMAN,
Air Force (retired)
PAMELA A. DREW,
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
KENNETH E. EICKMANN, Independent Consultant
JOHN V. FARR,
Stevens Institute of Technology
RAND H. FISHER,
Titan Corporation
JACQUELINE GISH,
Northrop Grumman Corporation
KENNETH C. HALL,
Duke University
WESLEY L. HARRIS,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
LESLIE KENNE,
LK Associates
DONALD J. KUTYNA, Independent Consultant
TAYLOR W. LAWRENCE,
Raytheon Company
GREGORY S. MARTIN,
GS Martin Consulting
DEBASIS MITRA,
Bell Laboratories
CHANDRA N. KUMAR PATEL,
University of California, Los Angeles
RICHARD R. PAUL,
The Boeing Company
ROBERT F. RAGGIO,
Dayton Aerospace, Inc.
GENE W. RAY,
GMT Ventures
ELI RESHOTKO,
Case Western Reserve University (emeritus)
LOURDES SALAMANCA-RIBA,
University of Maryland, College Park
MARVIN R. SAMBUR, Independent Consultant
LYLE H. SCHWARTZ, Independent Consultant
EUGENE L. TATTINI,
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Staff
MICHAEL A. CLARKE, Director
JAMES C. GARCIA, Senior Program Officer
DANIEL E.J. TALMAGE, JR., Program Officer
CARTER W. FORD, Research Associate
CHRIS JONES, Financial Associate
LaNITA R. JONES, Senior Program Assistant
LaSHAWN N. SIDBURY, Program Associate
DEANNA P. SPARGER, Program Administrative Coordinator
WILLIAM E. CAMPBELL, Senior Program Associate
Preface
This study responds to a request by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Science, Technology, and Engineering (SAF/AQR) and the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) that the National Research Council (NRC) evaluate the U.S. aerospace propulsion technology base to determine if efforts under way will support necessary warfighter capabilities to 2020. The current national context for the study includes fuel prices at historically high levels, ever-increasing costs for sustaining aircraft, a decreasing domestic launch capability, and uncertainty about the availability of U.S. citizens to perform the requisite research on propulsion. All of these factors are of critical importance to U.S. national security. The committee sincerely hopes that this report—the culmination of an extremely intense effort—will enable the Air Force and Department of Defense (DoD) to make informed decisions on future aerospace propulsion needs. As chair, I want to applaud the committee members for their commitment and diligence during the study that enabled us to complete the task successfully. I also want to express the members’ thanks to the Air Force and DoD for their dedicated support throughout the study and for the efforts of National Research Council staff consisting of Michael Clarke, Jim Garcia, Daniel Talmage, Carter Ford, LaNita Jones, Bill Campbell, Liz Fikre, and Anderson intern Dionna Ali.
Kenneth E. Eickmann, Chair
Committee on Air Force and Department of Defense Aerospace Propulsion Needs
ROLE OF THE BOARD
The Air Force Studies Board (AFSB) was established in 1996 by the National Academies at the request of the Air Force. The AFSB brings to bear broad military, industrial, and academic scientific, engineering, and management expertise on Air Force technical challenges and other issues of importance to senior Air Force leaders. The board discusses potential studies of interest, develops and frames study tasks, ensures proper project planning, suggests potential committee members and reviewers for reports produced by fully independent ad hoc study committees, and convenes meetings to examine strategic issues. The board members listed on page vi were not asked to endorse the committee’s conclusions or recommendations, nor did they review the final draft of this report before its release. Board members with appropriate expertise may be nominated to serve as formal members of study committees or to review reports.
Acknowledgment of Reviewers
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:
Peter M. Banks, Independent Consultant,
Edgar Choueiri, Princeton University,
Earl H. Dowell, Duke University,
Kenneth C. Hall, Duke University,
Hans G. Hornung, California Institute of Technology,
Kenneth K. Kuo, Pennsylvania State University,
Carl J. Meade, Northrop Grumman Corporation,
Michael M. Micci, Pennsylvania State University,
Robert E. Schafrik, GE Aircraft Engines, and
William A. Sirignano, University of California, Irvine.
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions
or recommendations nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Louis J. Lanzerotti, New Jersey Institute of Technology. Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.
Acronyms
AATE Affordable Advanced Turbine Engine
ABM antiballistic missile
ABVL air-based vertical launch
ACS assembly and command ship
AEDC Arnold Engineering Development Center
AFOSR Air Force Office of Scientific Research
AFRL Air Force Research Laboratory
AFSB Air Force Studies Board
AFSPC Air Force Space Command
AIAA American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
AMROC American Rocket Company
AoA analysis of alternatives
AP ammonium perchlorate
AR nozzle area ratio
ARES Affordable Responsive Spacelift (vehicle)
AT&L acquisition, technology, and logistics
BAE British Aerospace
BMDO Ballistic Missile Defense Organization
C4ISR command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
CADB Chemiautomatics Design Bureau
CADM computer-aided design and manufacturing
CCA cooled cooling air
CDR critical design review
CEV crew exploration vehicle
CFD computational fluid dynamics
CIP Component Improvement Program
CMC ceramic matrix composite
CNT carbon nanotube
COBRA Co-optimized Booster for Reusable Applications
CONOPS concept of operations
CRRA capabilities review and risk assessment
CSAR Center for the Simulation of Advanced Rockets
CUIP Constellation University Institutes Project
CVC constant volume combustor
DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
DCR dual-combustor ramjet
DDR&E Director of Defense Research and Engineering
DoD Department of Defense
DOE Department of Energy
DTAP Defense Technology Area Plan
ECEP engine capability enhancement program
EELV evolved expendable launch vehicle
EHF extremely high frequency
EMA electromechanical actuator
EMDP engine model derivative program
EMTVA electromechanical thrust vector assembly
EOP Executive Office of the President
EP electric propulsion
EPDM ethylene propylene diene monomer
ESA European Space Agency
ETO Earth-to-orbit
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FADEC fuel-authority digital engine/electronic control
FALCON Force Application and Launch from the Continental United States
FATE Future Affordable Turbine Engine
FBM fleet ballistic missile
FCS Future Combat Systems
FEM finite-element model
FY fiscal year
GE General Electric
GEM graphite epoxy motor
GITVC gas injection thrust vector control
GLOW gross liftoff weight
GOTChA goals, objectives, technical challenges, and approaches
GTE gas turbine engine
GTO geosynchronous transfer orbit
H2 hydrogen
H2O2 hydrogen peroxide
HAN hydroxylammonium nitrate
HCV hypersonic cruise vehicle
HEDM high-energy-density materials
HiReTS high Reynolds number thermal stability
HiSTED High-Speed Turbine Engine Demonstration
HPDP hybrid propulsion development program
HTPB hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene
HTV hypersonic technology vehicle
HUMS health and usage monitoring system
HyCAUSE hypersonic collaboration between Australia and United States experiment
HyFly Hypersonics Flight Demonstration
HyTech hypersonic technology
HyTOP Hybrid Technology Options Project
Isp specific impulse
IBR integrally bladed rotor
IC internal combustion
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
ICBM intercontinental ballistic missile
IHPRPT Integrated High-Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology
IHPTET Integrated High-Performance Turbine Engine Technology
IM insensitive munitions
IOC initial operational capability
IPD integrated powerhead demonstrator
IR&D independent research and development
ITAPS integrated total aerospace power system
ITEP Improved Turbine Engine Program
JASSM joint air-to-surface standoff missile
JCIDS joint capabilities integration and development system
JHL joint heavy lift
JSF Joint Strike Force
JTAGG joint turbine advanced gas generator
lbf pound force
lbf/sec pound force per second
LEO low Earth orbit
LH2 liquid hydrogen
LISA Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
LOx liquid oxygen
LP launch platform
ManTech Manufacturing Technology
MBSAT Mobile Broadcasting Satellite
MHD magnetohydrodynamic
MMH monomethylhydrazine
MMMV multimission modular vehicle
MON mixed oxides of nitrogen
M&S modeling and simulation
MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center
N2H4 monopropellant hydrazine
N2O nitrous oxide
N2O4 dinitrogen tetroxide
NAI National Aerospace Initiative
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NEXT NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster
NGLT Next-Generation Launch Technology
NOx nitrogen oxides
NPSH net positive suction head
NRC National Research Council
NSSK North-South station keeping
NSSS National Security Space Strategy
OAM orbit adjust module
OC-ALC Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center
OEM original equipment manufacturer
ORS operationally responsive spacelift
ORSC oxygen-rich staged combustion
OSC Orbital Sciences Corporation
OSD Office of the Secretary of Defense
OSP Orbital Suborbital Program
OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy
OUSD Office of the Undersecretary of Defense
Pc chamber pressure
PBR Presidential Budget Request
PDE pulsed detonation engine
PDR pulsed detonation rocket/preliminary design review
PDW pulse detonation wave
POM program objectives memorandum
POSS polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane
PPT pulsed plasma thruster
PPU power processing unit
PR propulsion and power
PRV personnel recovery vehicle
psi pounds per square inch
psia pounds per square inch absolute
P-STAR propulsion sizing, thermal analysis, accountability, and weight relationship first-order modeling tool
RATTLRS Revolutionary Approach to Time-Critical Long-Range Strike
RCE reaction control engine
REAP2 Rocket Engine Advancement Progra
R&D research and development
RDT&E research, development, testing, and evaluation
RDX royal demolition explosive
ROM rough order of magnitude
SAF Secretary of the Air Force
SCARLET solar concentrator array with refractive linear element technology
SCAT secondary combustion augmented thruster
SDD system design and development
SECDEF Secretary of Defense
SED single-engine demonstrator
SFC specific fuel consumption
SFS sequential feed system
SHFE small heavy fuel engine
SHP shaft horsepower
SLBM submarine-launched ballistic missile
SLI Space Launch Initiative
SLV small launch vehicle
SMART 1 small missions for advanced research in technology 1
SMP FY06 Strategic Master Plan for FY06 and Beyond
SPT stationary plasma thruster
SRB solid rocket booster
SRM solid rocket motor
SSME space shuttle main engine
S&T science and technology
STOL short takeoff and landing
STOVL short takeoff and vertical landing
SVTI Space Vehicle Technology Institute
TARA technology area review and assessment
TBC thermal barrier coating
THAAD terminal high-altitude area defense
TM thermal management
TOW tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missile
TPA turbopump assembly
TRL technology readiness level
TVC thrust vector control
T/W thrust to weight
UAH University of Alabama at Huntsville
UAS unmanned aircraft system
UCAV unmanned combat air vehicle
UCC ultracompact combustor
UER unscheduled engine removal