Hybrid rocket motor internal ballistic model and oxidizer dopping. Applications.

We present our research effort in the field of hybrid rocket motors. A computation model is presented together with results from a numerical algorithm based on the computation model. We present theoretical predictions for several hybrid rocket motors and compare the theoretical predictions with experimental measurements on those hybrid rocket motors. We also present several regression models to be used in hybrid rocket motors and evaluate each of them against experimental data provided by research groups worldwide. First section of the presentation focuses on hybrid rocket motor development. A computation model is presented for the prediction of the regression speed of fuel doped with solid oxidant in hybrid rocket motors. We show an up to 30% increase in regression speed for doping ratios <10% on a acrylic based fuel grain. The second section of the paper focuses on a possible application of a hybrid rocket motor as propulsion unit for an upper stage of a low cost, efficient suborbital/orbital vehicle. This vehicle is to be developed under a national Romanian research program entitled "Vehicle for small satellites". We also show past work that has been done by the team in the area of rocket propulsion.