Pratt & Whitney is applying its unmatched 40 years of expander cycle, cryogenic upper-stage engine experience to the development of the RL60. This new high-performance offering is designed to produce 60,000 pounds of thrust and meet the evolving needs of expendable launch requirements or human-rated missions.
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RL60 will provide more than double the thrust of the company’s venerable RL10 engine for increased performance and launch capability. The RL60’s expander cycle gives the engine greater range of operation, including multiple firings in space. The engine also offers flexibility as it can operate anywhere within a range of 50,000 to 65,000 pounds of thrust.
The RL60 demonstration phase is now underway with component testing completed. Demonstrator engine testing is planned for mid 2003.
Thrust: 50,000 to 65,000 lb
Weight: 1,100 lb
Specific impulse: 465 sec
Cycle: Full expander
Propellants: LH2/LOX
Mixture ratio: 4.5 to 6.2
NPSP LH2/LOX: <2.0 psi
Restarts: Multiple
Books:
- Modern Engineering for Design of Liquid-Propellant Rocket
Engines (Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics, Vol 147
from Amazon.com,
Amazon.co.uk
- Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Edition by George P. Sutton (Author), Oscar Biblarz (Author)
-
Rocket Exhaust Plume Phenomenology
by
Frederick S. Simmons
from
Amazon.com,
Amazon.co.uk
- Amateur Rocket Motor
Construction: A Complete Guide To The Construction Of Homemade Solid Fuel Rocket
Motors
from
Amazon.com
Goto Propulsion Guide Home Page
Goto Space Projects and Info Home Page
Copyright © 2000-2013 Vic Stathopoulos. All rights reserved.
Updated: Saturday 23rd, February, 2013
