SABRE Unlocking the Future of Hypersonic Flight and Space Access
Tom Burvill – Head of Applied Technologies 28/02/18
Proprietary information Contents
• Introduction – Sixty Years of Space Access • The SABRE Engine • An Introduction to Reaction Engines • The SABRE Development Programme • The SABRE Engine Test Facility • Hypersonic Flight and Space Access
2 Sixty Years of Space Access
Proprietary information Accessing Space – The Rocket Launcher
The rocket has carried us to great places…however current launchers are: • Expensive (~$10,000/kg) • Long Lead Time (years to build, months to prepare) • Low Reliability (2-5% failure rate) As well as making existing Space products very expensive, they have also led to a severe restriction on the development of the Space market, despite the current evolution in the technology.
1957 Today …little change in launch vehicle technology in almost 60 years… The Winged Launch Vehicle - The Spaceplane
A winged-vehicle (much like an aircraft) offers the prospect of a lower cost, more reliable and responsive access to Space
The key to achieving a successful Spaceplane concept is to develop a high performance multi-role propulsion system. This is the origin of the SABRE engine – Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine The SABRE Engine
Proprietary information The SABRE Engine SABRE - Synergetic Air Breathing Rocket Engine – is a new class of engine able to propel both high- Bypass Burners speed aircraft and space vehicles Air Bypass Duct Air Compressor
Thrust Chamber
Core Thermodynamic Cycle
Pre-cooler SABRE is capable of Mach 5+ in air-breathing mode, and Air Intake speeds up to orbital velocity in rocket mode
7 SABRE REL’s HX technology is a key element of the SABRE engine
1. Cool 2. Regenerate Cool the hot incoming air from 1000oC 3. Integrate Re-inject the heat captured into the in 1/20th second (Mach 5) Combine jet and rocket engines to engine to drive the turbo-machinery, create an engine class capable of high thereby reducing fuel consumption Mach atmospheric and Space flight in a single engine
8 SABRE Performance SABRE provides improved performance over a wide speed range for thrust and efficiency compared with other propulsion systems
2 High fuel efficiency in 1 air breathing mode Operates from up to Mach 5.5 a standing start
5 Step change in thrust 3 Switches to rocket mode to weight ratio when when altitude too high switched to rocket to use atmospheric air mode to power the
platform into space
(seconds)
Engine weight Engine to thrust Specific Impulse Impulse Specific (Efficiency)
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10 4 Mach Number Fuel efficiency drops to align with Mach Number conventional rocket when switching to rocket mode as liquid oxygen has to be used instead of atmospheric air
9 An Introduction to Reaction Engines
Proprietary information Overview
• Reaction Engines Limited (REL) is a private UK company developing an advanced combined cycle air-breathing engine “SABRE” (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine)
• SABRE is a new class of engine combining an air-breathing mode of operation, with the option to transition to pure rocket mode for space access, all in a single engine installation
• Developed as part of the SABRE programme, REL’s core IP is centred on ultra light weight heat exchangers, which have applications in other market sectors
11 Recent Developments • In December 2015, BAE Systems invested £20.6m for 20% of REL. REL also secured a UK Government Grant of £60m
• During 2016 and 2017 the company has matured through building an industry experienced team, reshaped the SABRE programme to fit customer needs, secured test facilities and raised industry and public profile
• Most recently (Sept-2017), REL has contracted with DARPA for funding to conduct a hot HX test in the USA
• Further investment will fund REL’s programme to develop and test a SABRE core engine demonstrator to valid the technology
12 Locations
SABRETM TF1 HEADQUARTERS rocket test Culham, facility Oxfordshire, UK Westcott, SABRETM programme, heat exchanger Buckinghamshire Reaction design and test , UK (operational 2020) Engines Inc. Colorado, US US Office, Business Development
Manufacturing Solutions Division, Didcot Park, Oxfordshire, UK
Colorado USA
13 Reaction Engines Sites Rocket Test Site: Westcott, Reaction Engines HQ: Buckinghamshire, UK Culham, Oxfordshire UK Phase 3 Test site
J-Site
Pre-cooler Testing Rocket Test Site WeSABRE s System t c o t t , Test site Buckinghamshire, UK
REI: Castle Rock, CO, USA
Engineering Manufacturin & Design g
14 Team REL has built a diverse and talented team, with a culture of innovation and delivery
15 The SABRE Development Programme
Proprietary information The SABRE Development Programme
H1 2018 2020 2022-24 2023-25 2025-30 HOT HX TEST SABRETM CORE INTEGRATED FLIGHT TEST FIRST ENGINE
TEST TEST APPLICATION
SABRE Core Core SABRE Programme
17 Pre-cooler testing at Reaction Engines
• Reaction Engines Pre-cooler coupled to a Rolls-Royce VIPER jet engine. • Test verified Pre-cooler operation (2012-2013). • Inlet air cooled to < -100C
18 Rocket Engine Testing
• Adaptive nozzles have potential for improved engine performance • Joint programmes with Airborne Engineering Ltd and University of Bristol Nozzle tests at Westcott The SABRE Engine Test Facility
Proprietary information Test Facility 1 – Testing the SABRE Demonstrator
TF1 is being built at the Westcott Venture Park, near Aylesbury
Test Facility 1 has been designed to enable testing of the SABRE demonstrator in 2020. Construction is underway with completion scheduled for September 2019
22 Test Facility Progress
January 2018
November 2017 Hypersonic Flight and Space Access
Proprietary information Space Access SABRE enables new mission profiles – low cost, responsive and reliable
Source: USAF SpaceWorks
25 SABRE-powered Hypersonic Vehicles
• Huge speed range: 0 to Mach 5+ • Brussels to Sydney in 5 hours • Could be used for suborbital flights • Ground-testable sooner and more affordably than alternatives
*artists’ illustrations of vehicle concepts Heat Exchanger Applications
Proprietary information Applications HIGH PERFORMANCE & EFFECTIVENESS
The REL heat exchangers have characteristics that make them attractive to a number of adjacent applications CHALLENGING ULTRA COMPACT & WORKING FLUID & LIGHT WEIGHT HIGH TEMP