Quote from: novak on 09/12/2020 06:08 amHowever, agree that the RL10 is ancient, "craftsmen" type engineering that should be somewhat low hanging fruit to improve upon, especially on cost. Interested to see the development costs as well, as hydrolox engines have historically been very expensive, so it will be interesting to see what newspace can do here.ARJ have spent lot effort modernizing RL10 for additive manufacturing technology. Given its excellent flight history they have good reason to take slow cautious approach to changing RL10 design. Whether they've passed build cost savings onto customers is unknown, but I'd be surprised if they havn't.
However, agree that the RL10 is ancient, "craftsmen" type engineering that should be somewhat low hanging fruit to improve upon, especially on cost. Interested to see the development costs as well, as hydrolox engines have historically been very expensive, so it will be interesting to see what newspace can do here.
Quote from: TrevorMonty on 09/12/2020 09:46 pmQuote from: novak on 09/12/2020 06:08 amHowever, agree that the RL10 is ancient, "craftsmen" type engineering that should be somewhat low hanging fruit to improve upon, especially on cost. Interested to see the development costs as well, as hydrolox engines have historically been very expensive, so it will be interesting to see what newspace can do here.ARJ have spent lot effort modernizing RL10 for additive manufacturing technology. Given its excellent flight history they have good reason to take slow cautious approach to changing RL10 design. Whether they've passed build cost savings onto customers is unknown, but I'd be surprised if they havn't.I believe they had a DoD funded program to reduce the cost and modernize the engine. So the customer actually was charged extra to pay less. Go go old aerospace!
Looks like Hadley is getting an upgrade in the near future with a more streamlined print. There's a more bulbous fuel inlet manifold that appears to distribute the fuel to the aft end and then the regen channels go from the aft-end towards the injector, instead of what appeared to be a "pass and a half" style chamber where they went down to the aft end and then looped back up towards the injector.In also includes a nozzle extension flange, so perhaps they're looking at upper stage use, or their contract with Stratolaunch's Talon is asking for a higher-altitude nozzle.You also see a stiffer head-end flange which before was pretty overhung. Given the classic fractal support on the new one, that's probably one of the manufacturing improvements so they don't have support structure that needs to be chiseled away.In the front there's a 4x bolt pattern for mounting something too: probably a mounting point for their flight computer if they're keeping the overall layout the same.
In also includes a nozzle extension flange, so perhaps they're looking at upper stage use, or their contract with Stratolaunch's Talon is asking for a higher-altitude nozzle.
https://www.defenseone.com/business/2021/07/rocket-startup-could-get-huge-boost-lockheed-martin-buying-aerojet-rocketdyne/183996/
Northrop Grumman’s 2018 acquisition of Orbital and Lockheed’s proposed $4.4 billion acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne would leave the United States without an independent rocket supplier. As this happens, Ursa Major has been proving its technology and assembling customers, including a large defense prime contractor.“We're really the only game in town,” Pellicore said. “There's a reason we're signed with a very serious prime customer, and there's no reason why we should be signed with them except that this is the dynamic that's happening right now.”Pellicore declined to name the company, but said consolidation within the rocket motor sector has opened doors at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill, and with investors (Ursa Major has raised more than $56 million).
Their site lists that new engine as using "Cryogenic & Storable Propellants". So I think it's reasonably safe to say that it's no longer the hydrolox Samus, but what it is is much harder to determine.
Quote from: JEF_300 on 10/02/2021 07:49 pmTheir site lists that new engine as using "Cryogenic & Storable Propellants". So I think it's reasonably safe to say that it's no longer the hydrolox Samus, but what it is is much harder to determine.hydrolox as a fuel cannot be ruled out but Samus project can be as a different engine cycle.
Quote from: russianhalo117 on 10/02/2021 08:01 pmQuote from: JEF_300 on 10/02/2021 07:49 pmTheir site lists that new engine as using "Cryogenic & Storable Propellants". So I think it's reasonably safe to say that it's no longer the hydrolox Samus, but what it is is much harder to determine.hydrolox as a fuel cannot be ruled out but Samus project can be as a different engine cycle.Hydrolox as a fuel can be ruled out, because Liquid Hydrogen cannot reasonably be called a storable propellant. Aside from the likes of Ozone and Fluorine, it is objectively the least storable propellant.
Ripley is our next engine — with 10x the thrust of Hadley (50,000 lbf) and enhanced lox/kerosine propulsion capacity. Reusable and flexible. Industry-leading performance and power at a price that will change the space launch industry. https://ursamajortechnologies.com/engines/ripley #MeetTheEngines
I just noticed, Ripley has gone from 35,000 lbf to 50,000 lbf. This probably happened around the same time the website was updated, but it wasn't called out explicitly at the time.
