Work In Progress: This is Rocket Science: Development and Testing of a Hybrid Rocket Motor in a Rocket Propulsion Course

This paper describes a unique design and laboratory experience that was incorporated into an introductory rocket propulsion course. Specifically, each student team designed, built and tested a 7 lbf thrust hybrid rocket motor. The thrust chambers were fabricated from aluminum and the nozzles were fabricated from graphite. Solid fuel grains consisting of HTPB and HTPB/Al were produced by each team. Each rocket was tested on a thrust stand that enabled the measurement of instantaneous oxygen mass flow rate, chamber pressure (Pc) and thrust. With these data, each team was able to measure specific impulse (Isp), characteristic exhaust velocity (C*) and thrust coefficient (CF) and compare these measurements to their theoretical models, which predicted instantaneous O/F, C*, Pc , and thrust. This design experience, which can be easily and inexpensively replicated at other institutions, was universally evaluated by students as a major highlight in their education to date and multiple students have expressed an interest in a career in aerospace engineering as a result