SBIR-STTR Award

WASK Engineering will perform trade studies to select design parameters to develop a conceptual design of a modular engine. The purpose of the conceptual design is to provide the requirements for detailed hardware designs of thrust cells and nozzle that will be completed in this effort. The designs will be used for hardware fabrication in a Phase 2 effort. An evaluation will be made of design and analysis tools that will be verified during hardware testing in a subsequent program phase.

Benefits:
This program will put in place critical technologies required to validate the modular rocket engine concept is a cost effective solution for the space launch needs of the US Government. The development and technological risks associated with this type of engine concept will be retired through these efforts.

Keywords:
modular rocket, thrust cell, flow interactions

Modular engines utilize a number of small combustion chambers, called thrust cells, arrayed around an aerospike nozzle. This type of engine has many benefits including high performance and small combustion devices that can be inexpensively built and test