SURVEY ON SELECTED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROPULSION PROJECTS IN GERMANY DURING THE LAST 40 YEARS

Abstract

The paper provides a personal journey along the development of propulsion technology for space and tactical applications, and for test facilities. Activities on liquid propulsion started with research on plumes of hydrazine thrusters. Extensive work was carried out for the development of gelled propellant technology for rockets and gas generators. The objective is to create rocket motors and gas generators using storable propellant with minimum hazard potential. These activities cover over 20 years from basic research to technology development and verification. Highlights are the demonstration of a controllable gelled propellant rocket motor by a free-flight missile test, and the static demonstration of a highly controllable divert-and-attitude control system. Activities on solid propulsion cover various types of solid rocket motors for different applications. A focus is set on double pulse motors and on high-performance/ hypervelocity solid rocket motors and a throttleable ducted rocket for a hypersonic interceptor concept. A related topic is solid propellant gas generators for various applications. Specific technologies are solid propellant impulse thrusters and gas dynamic systems for missiles and test facilities. Basic research topics are insensitive munition technology, qualification of solid propellants for in-orbit propulsion, and high-performance solid propellants with a substitute of ammonium perchlorate. Activities on gas propulsion cover external combustion for projectile control and ram acceleration technology.