Rocket Propulsion has come of age. Although its potentialities and capabilities in many areas have been recognized for centuries, it is only in recent years that scientists have had the materials and the manufacturing techniques at their command so they could control and direct the tremendous forces available. Space exploration and manned flights by astronauts have brought the science of rocketry to the attention of the general public. It has also stimulated the interest of students at all levels of advancement in the technical details of space flight. Rocket Propellant Technologies is written for serious students of astronautics. This volume reviews briefly the history of rocketry and the fundamental principles connected with rocket propulsion. Types of propellants, the chemical reactions involved, and the techniques used in manufacturing are explained. The merits of solid and liquid fuels are enumerated. Exotic propellants of the future are discussed, with reasons why their development is essential. Finally, the safety aspects of manufacturing and testing rocket propellants are given in detail. The Amateur Rocket Association under whose guidance this series has been prepared, serves as a focal point for many related activities, bringing new ideas to the attention of its members and offering suggestions for future lines of research.

Propellants contain considerable chemical energy that can be used in rocket propulsion. Bringing together information on both the theoretical and practical aspects of solid rocket propellants for the first time, this book will find a unique place on the readers' shelf providing the overall picture of solid rocket propulsion technology. Aimed at students, engineers and researchers in the area, the authors have applied their wealth of knowledge regarding formulation, processing and evaluation to provide an up to date and clear text on the subject.

This book, a translation of the French title Technologie des Propergols Solides, offers otherwise unavailable information on the subject of solid propellants and their use in rocket propulsion. The fundamentals of rocket propulsion are developed in chapter one and detailed descriptions of concepts are covered in the following chapters. Specific design methods and the theoretical physics underlying them are presented, and finally the industrial production of the propellant itself is explained. The material used in the book has been collected from different countries, as the development of this field has occurred separately due to the classified nature of the subject. Thus the reader not only has an overall picture of solid rocket propulsion technology but a comprehensive view of its different developmental permutations worldwide.

This book is intended for students and engineers who design and develop liquid-propellant rocket engines, offering them a guide to the theory and practice alike. It first presents the fundamental concepts (the generation of thrust, the gas flow through the combustion chamber and the nozzle, the liquid propellants used, and the combustion process) and then qualitatively and quantitatively describes the principal components involved (the combustion chamber, nozzle, feed systems, control systems, valves, propellant tanks, and interconnecting elements). The book includes extensive data on existing engines, typical values for design parameters, and worked-out examples of how the concepts discussed can be applied, helping readers integrate them in their own work. Detailed bibliographical references (including books, articles, and items from the “gray literature”) are provided at the end of each chapter, together with information on valuable resources that can be found online. Given its scope, the book will be of particular interest to undergraduate and graduate students of aerospace engineering.

The book is a treatise on solid propellants in nine chapters, covering the history, chemistry, energetics, processing and characterization aspects of composite solid propellants, internal ballistics, advanced solid propellants, safety, quality and reliability and homogenous or double base propellants. The book also traces the evolution of solid propellant technology in ISRO for launch vehicles and sounding rockets. There is a detailed table of contents, expanded index, glossary, exhaustive references and questions in each chapter. It can be used as a textbook for science and engineering students, as a reference book for researchers and as a companion to scientists and engineers working in the research, development and production areas of solid propellants.

Liquid propellant rocket engines have propelled all the manned space flights, all the space vehicles flying to the planets or deep space, virtually all satellites, and the majority of medium range or intercontinental range ballistic missiles.

Liquid Rocket and Propellants