Concepção de um veículo lançador de microssatélite baseado em foguetes de sondagem desenvolvidos no Brasil

Abstract

The present work presents a proposal that involves reverse engineering of the current solid rocket engines developed by the Aeronautics and Space Institute (IAE), for the design of a Microsatellite Launch Vehicle (VLM). This is done for quick access to space with technology previously produced in the country. The final goal is to insert a 50kg payload in low Earth orbit (LEO) using existing rockets. The conception is based on the preliminary analysis of V budget based on different combinations of rockets already developed and tested in other national projects, using data referring to the propellant mass and structure of available rockets. Based on this preliminary analysis, it was possible to establish a reference configuration for performing reverse engineering based on the consultation of available data of such rockets. In this sense, based on the data on combustion chamber pressures, nozzle expansion ratios, oxidizer and fuel used, mixing ratios practiced, specific engine thrust, thrust force, grain shape, materials and basic dimensions, it was possible to obtain the main parameters for the preliminary design of the vehicle. In the preliminary design, the reference parameters for the design of the rocket engine were used, for each of the stages of the VLM, through the program RPA ©, in order to meet the requirements of the pre-project. Once the preliminary design of the proposed new vehicle was completed, orbital insertion simulations were carried out in LEO using MATLAB © based on the Space Flight Mechanics equations to evaluate the insertion into orbit of a microsatellite and proving the feasibility of the project.