Hybrid Chemical Engines: Recent Advances from Sounding Rocket Propulsion and Vision for Spacecraft Propulsion

Hybrid propulsion generally combines a liquid oxidizer with a solid fuel. Compared to solid or bi-liquid engines, this type of propulsion offers advantages in terms of cost and flexibility. For several years, ONERA has been providing expertise in this area, both in experimental and numerical simulations. Various hybrid rocket motors have been designed and tested on ground, including under low ambient pressure conditions and in flight. The Propulsion Laboratory unit of the DMAE uses fully instrumented engine breadboards in order to optimize the oxidizer/fuel pair, as well as the injection system and the combustion efficiency. In addition, 0D and 1D codes for engine design are actively being developed. More recently, studies have been undertaken as part of the LEOP future satellite platforms, with the development of an innovative new combustion chamber.