Solid rocket engine

The earliest information about the use of solid-propellant rockets (Chinese powder rockets) refers to the XIII century . Up to the 20th century, all rockets used some form of solid fuel, usually based on black powder. In the period between the first and second world wars, the adoption of light solid-fuel missiles on the basis of various nitrocellulose fuels begins. After the Second World War, the rapid development of rocket technology for both military and space purposes began.

The advantages of solid-propellant rockets are: relative simplicity, the absence of the problem of possible leakage of toxic fuel, low fire hazard , the possibility of long-term storage, reliability.

The disadvantages of such engines are low specific impulse and relative difficulties with engine throttle control ( throttling ), its stopping (cut-off thrust) and restarting, compared to LRE ; as a rule, a higher level of vibration during operation, a large number of aggressive substances in the exhaust of the most common fuels with ammonium perchlorate .

Astronautics

Rarely used in the domestic space program (for example, Start (launch vehicle) ), but widely used and used in rocket technology in other countries. These are mainly elements of the first stage ( side accelerators ):

• Side accelerator MTKK Space Shuttle and Space Launch System .
• The second stage of Naro-1 (Republic of Korea), Antares (USA).
• The family of solid-fuel steps Castor and in amateur rocket science.

Meteorological rockets

• M-100
• MMP-06

Battle Missiles

Ballistic missile submarines

• UGM-27 Polaris (1960)
• UGM-73 "Poseidon" (1970)
• UGM-96 Trident (1979)
• M1 (1972)
• M20 (1976)
• M45 (1996)
• M51
• R-39 (1983)
• R-30 "Bulava"

Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

• LGM-30 Minuteman (1962)
• MX Peacekeeper (1986)
• RT-23 UTTH "Well done" (1987)
• RT-2PM Topol (1982)
• RT-2PM2 Topol-M (1998)
• RS-24 Yars (2009)
• PC-26 "Frontier" (2017)

Anti-missiles of the air defense system

• LIM-49A Sparten

MANPADS

• Needle

In modeling

In rocket modeling , 2 types of solid fuel engines are used. The first ones are based on black powder (in America such engines are commercially available). But usually they use a melt or a mixture of potassium nitrate (or less often sodium nitrate ) and carbohydrates ( sugar , sorbitol and dextrose ) - this is the so-called. " Caramel ", it is made by yourself. Rocket engines usually have a nozzle , but sometimes they do bezoplovye engines. They are usually made of cardboard sleeves for hunting rifles, the hole for the primer is used as a nozzle.

Currently there are programs for calculating the characteristics of such engines. The most popular is “ SRM ” by Richard Nacky (there is also a Russian version).

• Homogeneous fuels. They are solid solutions (usually nitrocellulose ) in a non-volatile solvent (usually in nitroglycerin ). Used in small missiles.
• Mixed fuels. It is a mixture of solid oxidizer and fuel. Most significant:
  • Black powder Historically, the first rocket fuel. Ingredients: saltpeter , charcoal and sulfur .
  • Mixed fuels based on ammonium perchlorate (oxidizer) and polymer fuel. The most widely used fuel for heavy military and space rockets.
  • In rocket modeling, homemade mixed fuel based on potassium nitrate and organic binders available in everyday life ( sorbitol , sugar and the like) has become widespread.

The solid propellant solid propellant of the American intercontinental missiles consisted of a mixture based on ammonium perchlorate as an oxidizer and combustible polyurethane with aluminum (first stage), with additives (binder NTRV ( English Hydroxyl Terminated Poly Butadien - polybutadiene with a terminal hydroxyl group ) that improves the stability of the burning rate molding and storage of the charge and an ammonium perchlorate mixture as an oxidizing agent and combustible polyurethane mixed with a copolymer of polybutadiene and acrylic acid (second stage).

• Accelerator (rocket science)

• SOKOLSKII, V. N, RUSSIAN SOLID-FUEL ROCKETS , January 1, 1967
• The dispersion of particles of the condensed phase in the products of combustion solid propellant rocket motors