Modeling and Analysis

Mass Calculations and Assessment

IN Space has the experience and resources to accurately model the complete weight breakdown of rocket-propelled engine components ranging from multistage launch vehicles to space craft to missile interceptors. High fidelity mass models support design efforts by permitting top-level trade studies and identifying propulsion system requirements to achieve payload and delta-v objectives. These models compute the vehicle/system weight and size component-by-component and can, therefore, be used to identify areas of significant improvement. IN Space engineers have created complete stage mass models to support both proposal and program efforts for large aerospace companies.

IN Space’s models provide the user with a large number of changeable parameters to support the customer’s necessary design space. To achieve high accuracy levels, sizing routines account for a wide variety of real system effects such as the Joule-Thompson effects in pressurant blow down, pressure losses in feed lines, divergence and boundary layer losses in the nozzle, and delivered impulse for millisecond firing durations. In the process of creating each model, IN Space compiles additional state-of-the-art data on the weights of thruster chambers and engines in published literature and feed system parts from the vendors that supply flight weight components for aerospace systems.

Physical Phenomena Modeling

In the course of conducting internal research and development efforts, supporting the programs at other aerospace companies, and adding to the community’s understanding of the science, IN Space personnel have created various computer models covering a wide range of physical phenomena relevant to propulsion systems. Specifically, we have or are working on modeling:

• Trajectories for bi-centrifugal swirl and transverse liquid rocket engine injectors
• Torch ignition threshold of liquid rocket engines
• Flow through a pressure-fed feed systems
• Combustion stability prediction for oxidizer-rich staged combustion liquid rocket engines, gas turbine combustors and gas turbine augmentors
• Cooling scheme analysis and comparison for hypersonic vehicles
• Chemical kinetics of propellants through the decomposition of oxidizers in catalyst beds and heated gas environments

IN Space is currently developing the most applicable of these models for general industry and are expected to be available through commercial software distribution.

Structural and Thermal Analyses

To support test article and flight weight component and system designs, IN Space uses both analytic methods and commercial and in-house/custom-written computer codes to model the structural and thermal stresses experienced by individual components and systems of components.