Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

RS-88

US ethanol-oxygen rocket engine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

RS-88
Remove ads

The RS-88 (Rocket System-88) is a liquid-fueled rocket engine designed and built in the United States by Rocketdyne (later Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and then Aerojet Rocketdyne). Originally developed for NASA's Bantam System Technology program in 1997, the RS-88 burned ethanol fuel with liquid oxygen (LOX) as the oxidizer. It offered 220 kN (49,000 lbf) of thrust at sea level.

Quick Facts Country of origin, Designer ...

A hypergolic derivative of the RS-88, fueled by monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, was chosen as the launch escape motor for the Boeing Starliner capsule.

Remove ads

Origins and Testing

The RS-88 stemmed from NASA's Bantam System Technology Project, part of the Low-Cost Technologies effort of the larger Advanced Space Transportation Program.[1] This project aimed to research and demonstrate technologies for a new, affordable launch system. While the program envisioned a technology demonstration flight in late 1999, it ultimately focused on engine development.[2]

NASA tested the RS-88 in a series of 14 hot-fire tests, resulting in 55 seconds of successful engine operation in November and December 2003.

In 2003, Lockheed Martin selected the RS-88 for their pad abort demonstration vehicle. NASA successfully tested the engine in a series of hot-fire tests, demonstrating its reliability.

Remove ads

Starliner Launch Escape System

Thumb
The Launch Abort Engine fires during a pad abort test of Starliner

A hypergolic derivative of the RS-88, fueled by monomethylhydrazine (MMH) and nitrogen tetroxide, was chosen as the launch escape motor for the Boeing Starliner capsule.[3] This variant, called the Launch Abort Engine (LAE), provides 176.6 kN (39,700 lbf) of thrust.[4] Four LAE engines are used in Starliner's abort system to propel the capsule away from the launch vehicle in case of an emergency.[5]

Remove ads

See also

References

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Remove ads