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Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Space Force to develop a propulsion system to showcase the benefits of a rotating detonation rocket engine in a flight-representative LOX/RP-2 hotfire test.
Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) will develop and demonstrate a rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) propulsion pathfinder vehicle for a future hypersonic testbed. PSI and our vehicle integration partner will hotfire test a flight-representative propulsion system with thrust levels, burn duration, and SWaP metrics that match those of a specific hypersonic mission that stands to benefit from RDREs. The vehicle will interface with a 1000 lbf pressure-fed RDRE using LOX/RP-2 propellants. In Phase I, the team will define the propulsion pathfinder hardware to be used for the RDRE demonstration, including conceptual designs, a draft test plan, interface control drawing (ICD) for the engine, evaluation of potential test sites, and definition of budget and schedule for Phase II. In Phase II, flight hardware for tanks, feed systems, thrust vector control (TVC), thrust frame structures, and electrical controls will be used for the 1000 lbf LOX/RP-2 pathfinder demonstration that is directly applicable to the hypersonic flight to be conducted in Phase III.
For more information contact:
Dr. Jeffrey Wegener
Area Manager, Propulsion & Energetics
jwegener@psicorp.com
Physical Sciences Inc.
Office: (978) 689-0003
Acknowledgement of Sponsorship: This work is supported under a contract with the Air Force / Space Force, Edwards AFB. This support does not constitute an express or implied endorsement on the part of the Government.
