Solid Propellant Rocket 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.

Part of the Princeton Aeronautical Paperback series designed to bring to students and research engineers outstanding portions of the twelve-volume High Speed Aerodynamics and Jet Propulsion series. These books have been prepared by direct reproduction of the text from the original series and no attempt has been made to provide introductory material or to eliminate cross reference to other portions of the original volumes. Originally published in 1960. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

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.