Paper number 733

FEASIBILITY STUDY OF INSULATOR, ADHESIVE, AND Y-JOINT STRUCTURE FOR THE CRYOGENIC PROPELLANT TANK OF REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE

Takayuki Shimoda, Yoshiki Morino

National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA)
2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505, Japan

Summary

Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) reusable vehicles are regarded as the most promising space recovery systems, which succeed the current Space Shuttle systems, to reduce space transportation cost drastically. The U.S.A started to develop the system and Japan is now starting. Super lightweight propellant tank is thought to be essential to realize SSTO and advanced materials to take the place of aluminum alloy should be developed. Our current research purpose is to assess the possible reduction of weight and to identify technical problems on the way of SSTO development. We will show the research status in this paper, including carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) material properties, basic properties of insulator and adhesive, and analysis of Y-joint structural element.

Keywords

SSTO, cryogenic propellant tank, insulator, adhesive, Y-joint structure