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Spacecraft Reference Engines |
References
Encyclopedia
Astronautica by Mark Wade
F-1
Ready: 1966
Burn Time:
161 seconds
Propellants: LOX/RP-1 Kerosene
Thrust
(sl): 1,516,000 lbf
Thrust
(vac): 1,740,000 lbf
ISP
(sl): 265
ISP
(vac): 304
Weight:
18,500 lbs
Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio: 2.27
Fuel
Density: 1,012 kg/m3
T/W
Ratio (sl): 81.95 lbf per
lb
T/W Ratio (vac): 94.05
lbf per lb
F-1A
Ready: 1970
Burn Time:
158 seconds
Propellants:
LOX/RP-1 Kerosene
Thrust (sl): 1,800,000
lbf
Thrust (vac): 2,000,000 lbf
ISP (sl):
270
ISP (vac):
310
Weight:
17,853 lbs
T/W Ratio (sl): 100.82
lbf per lb
T/W Ratio (vac): 112.03
lbf per lb
J-2
Ready: 1966
Burn Time:
475 seconds
Propellants:
LOX/LH2
Thrust (sl): 109,300 lbf
Thrust (vac):
232,250 lbf
ISP (sl):
200
ISP (vac):
421
Weight:
3,170 lbs
Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio: 5.5
Fuel
Density: 344 kg/m3
T/W
Ratio (sl): 34.48
T/W
Ratio (vac): 73.26
Aerojet-General M-1
Ready: 1970s
Propellants:
LOX/LH2
Thrust (sl): 868,851
lbf
Thrust (vac): 1,199,575
lbf
ISP (sl):
310
ISP (vac):
428
Weight:
19,991.5 lbs
Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio:
6
Fuel Density:
362 kg/m3
T/W Ratio (sl): 43.46
T/W
Ratio (vac): 60
Notes: Was cancelled in 1965, due to the general draw down of NASA and the elimination of post-Apollo missions and hardware development.
Rocketdyne RS-25; aka Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME)
Ready: 1980~
Burn
Time: 480 seconds
Propellants:
LOX/LH2
Thrust (sl): 408,570
lbf
Thrust (vac): 512,100
lbf
ISP (sl): 363
ISP
(vac): 453
Weight:
7,000 lbs
Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio: 6
Fuel
Density: 362 kg/m3
T/W
Ratio (sl): 58.37 lbf per
lb
T/W Ratio (vac): 73.16
lbf per lb
Rocketdyne RS-84
Ready: 2000~
Propellants:
LOX/RP-1
Thrust (sl): 1,064,000
lbf
Thrust (vac): 1,130,000
lbf
ISP (sl): 304
ISP
(vac): 324
Weight:
17,919 lbs
Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio: 2.7
Fuel
Density: 1,025.18 kg/m3
T/W
Ratio (sl): 59.38 lbf per
lb
T/W Ratio (vac): 63.06
lbf per lb
Notes: Developed as a reusable LOX/RP-1 engine with a lifetime of about 100 flights. Cancelled by NASA in 2005.
Rocketdyne RS-68
Ready: 2000~
Propellants:
LOX/LH2
Thrust (sl): 663,000
lbf
Thrust (vac): 758,000
lbf
ISP (sl): 359
ISP
(vac): 409
Weight:
14,876 lbs
Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio: 6
Fuel
Density: 362 kg/m3
T/W
Ratio (sl): 44.57 lbf per
lb
T/W Ratio (vac): 50.95
lbf per lb
Notes: Developed as a cheap expendable engine building off the failed STME program. Has 80% fewer parts and requires 92% less labor than than the RS-25 SSME. It uses an ablative engine nozzle, which while being heavier than a regeneratively cooled nozzle, is much cheaper and faster to construct than a regenerative nozzle with it's hordes of tubing.
J-2X
Ready: 2012~
Burn
Time: 431 seconds
Propellants:
LOX/LH2
Thrust (vac):
294,490 lbf
ISP (vac):
448
Weight:
5,450 lbs
Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio: 5.5
Fuel
Density: 344 kg/m3
T/W
Ratio (vac): 54.03 lbf per lb
Note: Had to meet much more stringent requirements, including a restart in space after 90~ days cold.
NERVA Model 2
Ready: 1970s~
Burn
Time: 1,200 Seconds
Propellants: Nuclear/LH2
Thrust
(sl): 89,810 lbf
Thrust
(vac): 195,000 lbf
ISP
(sl): 380
ISP
(vac): 825
Weight:
26,140 lbs
Fuel Density: 71
kg/m3
T/W Ratio (sl): 3.44
lbf per lb
T/W Ratio (vac): 7.46
lbf per lb
Timberwind 250
Ready: 1990s~
Burn
Time: 493 Seconds
Propellants:
Nuclear/LH2
Thrust (sl): 429,900
lbf
Thrust (vac): 551,140
lbf
ISP (sl): 780
ISP
(vac): 1,000
Weight:
18,200 lbs
Fuel Density: 71
kg/m3
T/W Ratio (sl): 23.62
lbf per lb
T/W Ratio (vac): 30.28
lbf per lb
Notes: Designed as a pebble-bed type reactor by DARPA/DoD for advanced nuclear payloads from Shuttle in support of SDI. Development ended in 1992.
Aerojet BPT-4000 Hall Effect Thruster
Ready: 2000s
Burn
Time: 6,000+ Hours
Propellants:
Electric/Xenon
Thrust (vac): 0.06
lbf (0.27 newtons)
ISP (vac): 1,950
Weight:
16.5 lbs
Fuel Density: 3,100 kg/m3 plus
4500 W at 350 V
T/W Ratio (vac): 0.0036
lbf per lb
NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT)
Ready: 2010s
Propellants:
Electric/Xenon
Thrust (vac): 0.05
lbf (0.24 newtons)
ISP (vac): 4,100~
Fuel
Density: 3,100 kg/m3 plus
unknown amount of electric power.
NASA High Power Electric Propulsion (HiPEP)
Ready: 2010s
Propellants:
Electric/Xenon
Thrust (vac): 0.15
lbf (0.67 newtons)
ISP (vac): 9,620~
Fuel
Density: 3,100 kg/m3 plus
unknown amount of electric power.
Ad Astra VX-200 VASMIR Engine
Ready:
2015-2020?
Propellants:
Electric/Argon
Thrust (vac): 0.89
lbf (4 newtons)
ISP (vac): 6,000
Weight:
about 661 lbs (300 kg) (based on 1.5 kg/kW specific power)
Fuel
Density: 1,430 kg/m3 plus 200~
kW of electric power
T/W Ratio (vac): about
0.0013 lbf per lb
Ad Astra Theoretical 10 Megawatt VASMIR Engine for Interplanetary Flight
Ready:
2020-2030?
Propellants:
Electric/Argon
Thrust (vac): 43~
lbf (191~ newtons)
ISP
(vac): 6,000
Weight:
about 33,069 lbs (15,000 kg) (based on 1.5 kg/kW specific power)
Fuel
Density: 1,430 kg/m3 plus 10 MW
of electric power
T/W Ratio (vac): about
0.0013 lbf per lb
Notes: This has been proposed by Ad Astra; and the specifications are based off of the specific power and weights of their existing VX-200. No doubt during the time of development between the VF-200 flight engine set to fly on the ISS in 2010-2011, and when we reach the point of deploying a 10 megawatt VASMIR engine, specific weights and power will improve.