@article{1d4aec2d14c94310b2af00f742addc11,
title = "Space Flight Demonstration of Rotating Detonation Engine Using Sounding Rocket S-520-31",
abstract = "To create a new flyable detonation propulsion system, a detonation engine system (DES) that can be stowed in sounding rocket S-520-31 has been developed. This paper focused on the first flight demonstration in the space environment of a DES-integrated rotating detonation engine (RDE) using S-520-31. The flight result was compared with ground-test data to validate its performance. In the flight experiment, the stable combustion of the annulus RDE with a plug-shaped inner nozzle was observed by onboard digital and analog cameras. With a time-averaged mass flow of 182 11 g∕s and an equivalence ratio of 1.2 0.2, the RDE generated a time-averaged thrust of 518 N and a specific impulse of 290 18 s, which is almost identical to the ideal value of constant pressure combustion. Due to the RDE combustion, the angular velocity increased by 5.7 deg ∕s in total, and the time-averaged torque from the rotational component of the exhaust during 6 s of operation was 0.26 N ⋅ m. The high-frequency sampling data identified the detonation frequency during the recorded time as 20 kHz in the flight, which was confirmed by the DES ground test through high-frequency sampling data analysis and high-speed video imaging.",
author = "Keisuke Goto and Ken Matsuoka and Koichi Matsuyama and Akira Kawasaki and Hiroaki Watanabe and Noboru Itouyama and Kazuki Ishihara and Valentin Buyakofu and Tomoyuki Noda and Jiro Kasahara and Akiko Matsuo and Ikkoh Funaki and Daisuke Nakata and Masaharu Uchiumi and Hiroto Habu and Shinsuke Takeuchi and Satoshi Arakawa and Junichi Masuda and Kenji Maehara and Tatsuro Nakao and Kazuhiko Yamada",
note = "Funding Information: This research was partially supported by the Research-and-Development Grant Program (Engineering) of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency{\textquoteright}s (JAXA{\textquoteright}s) Research and Development of an Ultra-High-Thermal-Efficiency Rotating Detonation Engine with Self-Compression Mechanism, by the Advanced Research Program for Energy and Environmental Technologies of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, and by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI (grant number 19H05464). The sounding rocket S-520-31 experiment was carried out at the Uchinoura Space Center in collaboration with the sounding rocket research and operation group at ISAS at JAXA. The authors express our deep appreciation for all the support by the S-520-31 project team. This research activity was supported by the Committee for Space Engineering of the ISAS{\textquoteright}s Detonation Kick-Motor Sounding Rocket Orbit Insertion Working Group, the AIAA Pressure Gain Combustion Technology Committee, and the Committee of International Workshop on Detonation for Propulsion. The detonation engine system was designed, fabricated, and integrated by NETS, Inc.; Meiji Electric Industries Co.; and National Instruments, Ltd. The rotating detonation engine used in this experiment was fabricated by Mizutani Seiki Co.; Nakashima Special Steel Co.; and CFC Design Co., Ltd. The authors deeply appreciate the contributions for the development of Reentry and Recovery Module with Deployable Aeroshell Technology for Sounding Rocket Experiment (RATS) by the RATS team. Finally, the authors are also deeply grateful to all the faculty members and students who have supported this project, including the ISAS at JAXA, and especially Nobuhiro Tanatsugu and Yoshifumi Inatani, Keio University, the Muroran Institute of Technology, and Nagoya University. Funding Information: This research was partially supported by the Research-and-Development Grant Program (Engineering) of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency{\textquoteright}s (JAXA{\textquoteright}s) Research and Development of an Ultra-High-Thermal-Efficiency Rotating Detonation Engine with Self-Compression Mechanism, by the Advanced Research Program for Energy and Environmental Technologies of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, and by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI (grant number 19H05464). The sounding rocket S-520-31 experiment was carried out at the Uchinoura Space Center in collaboration with the sounding rocket research and operation group at ISAS at JAXA. The authors express our deep appreciation for all the support by the S-520-31 project team. This research activity was supported by the Committee for Space Engineering of the ISAS{\textquoteright}s DetonationKick-Motor Sounding Rocket Orbit Insertion Working Group, the AIAA Pressure Gain Combustion Technology Committee, and the Committee of International Workshop on Detonation for Propulsion. The detonation engine system was designed, fabricated, and integrated by NETS, Inc.; Meiji Electric Industries Co.; and National Instruments, Ltd. The rotating detonation engine used in this experiment was fabricated by Mizutani Seiki Co.; Nakashima Special Steel Co.; and CFC Design Co., Ltd. The authors deeply appreciate the contributions for the development of Reentry and Recovery Module with Deployable Aeroshell Technology for Sounding Rocket Experiment (RATS) by the RATS team. Finally, the authors are also deeply grateful to all the faculty members and students who have supported this project, including the ISAS at JAXA, and especially Nobuhiro Tanatsugu and Yoshifumi Inatani, Keio University, the Muroran Institute of Technology, and Nagoya University. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 by Nagoya University.",
year = "2023",
month = jan,
doi = "10.2514/1.A35401",
language = "English",
volume = "60",
pages = "273--285",
journal = "Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets",
issn = "0022-4650",
publisher = "American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc. (AIAA)",
number = "1",
}