SuperDraco
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The SuperDraco is a liquid rocket engine developed by the American space company SpaceX with a thrust of 73 kilonewtons. It's an evolution of the Draco engine and about 200 times bigger. Like this, it works with the hypergolic fuel mixture methylhydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide , which react spontaneously with each other when brought in contact.
SuperDraco in the Dragon V2
Eight SuperDraco engines, each arranged in pairs, are installed all around the bottom of the side wall of SpaceX's manned spacecraft Dragon V2 . On the one hand, they are used as a launch rescue system and thus replace the classic rescue rocket, and on the other hand, the spaceship should be able to land “anywhere in the country with the precision of a helicopter”. Even if this is still possible according to new information, the landing ability will not be implemented because safety certifications would be too time-consuming and no longer fit into the company's current course.
Manufacturing
The SuperDraco rocket engines are completely manufactured using the 3D printing process laser sintering with devices such as EOS 3D . This makes them the first ever engines to be manufactured entirely using this process.
Inconel , a highly heat-resistant nickel -based alloy from Special Metals Corporation , is used as the material for laser sintering .
Web links
- SpaceX Completes Qualification Testing of SuperDraco Thruster on May 27, 2014 on spacex.com.
- Chris Bergin: SpaceX Dragon advancing the Launch Abort System to new heights on February 2, 2012 on NASAspaceflight.com about the advantages of the system over conventional rescue missiles
Videos
- Superdraco Engine testing Youtube video from February 3, 2012
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.spacex.com/updates_archive.php?page=121007 ( Memento from January 4, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ David Szondy: SpaceX completes qualification test of 3D-printed SuperDraco thruster from May 28, 2014 at gizmag.com
- ↑ Elon Musk at the presentation of the spaceship on May 29, 2014 from minute 2.24; https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yEQrmDoIRO8
- ↑ Stephen Clark: Propulsive landings nixed from SpaceX's Dragon spaceship - Spaceflight Now. Retrieved December 24, 2018 (American English).
- ↑ https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/375737311641628672/photo/1
- ↑ Elon Musk at the presentation of the spaceship on May 29, 2014 from 8:30 a.m.; https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yEQrmDoIRO8
- ↑ David Szondy: SpaceX completes qualification test of 3D-printed SuperDraco thruster from May 28, 2014 at gizmag.com