Hybrid

Rocket Lab has extensive experience in developing all aspects of hybrid rocket propulsion systems. Rocket lab has invested heavily over the years in hybrid propulsion research and some of the key achievements are listed below.

Development of new polymer based fuels with high density, strength and stiffness values to enable complex chamber geometry without the need for support.

• Large library of injector designs
• Two phase flow models for oxidizers such as nitrous oxide.
• Solid understanding of combustion instability issues and methods to resolve them
• Realization of high combustion efficiencies and exceptional mass ratios
• Developed and flew a high altitude suborbital rocket Atea 1 using all of the above technologies and expertise.

Through extensive research Rocket Lab has developed a new hybrid fuel called Hybrid 90A. It is a simple solution to a complex problem of hybrid fuel formulation. The fuel composition is the end result of an extensive characterisation and evaluation program, culminating in the successful flight test of the Atea-1 sound rocket. It is an alternative to HTPB that possesses many of the desirable characteristics while offering many advantages over HTPB. Hybrid 90A has scavengers incorporated within the base chemistry to eliminate any foaming. Very large quantities can be cast with out voids, bubbles or exothermic reactions. With very high strength, stiffness and hardness (Shore 65D), the fuel is ideal for complex internal grain configurations such as wagon wheel, pointed star and dog bone layouts. The manufacture of large and complex fuel grains is achievable with the minimum of equipment and casting infrastructure. The fuel also has a high density than HTPB while maintaining similar regression rates with a sea level deliver specific impulse of 220 seconds at 300psi chamber pressure.