AUSTRALIAN SPACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE 23 May 1994 Mark Blair mnb@dstos3.dsto.gov.au PROGRAM UPDATES CARATEL This is a small 2.6m liquid fuelled rocket based on the Ausroc I propulsion technology with new payload systems and aerodynamic surfaces. There are currently 2 students and a number of members involved in the program. The emphasis has been on thorough analysis and testing with development of some innovative ideas. To date, the majority of the vehicle systems are complete including the propulsion system, fins, recovery system, payload module and avionics. Further integration and evaluation work is still to be carried out in the near future. Regular meetings are held every 2 weeks by the Caratel group at UTS in Sydney. Several defence test ranges around Sydney are currently being considered for the flight trial of the vehicle later this year or early 1995. AUSROC II-2 Word has recently been received from HQ-Australian Defence Force that our request to use the Woomera Rocket Range in SA for the Ausroc II-2 launch has been approved and that the costs associated with the trial will be waivered. This response now clears the way for us to work out the finer details of when and how the trial is to proceed with staff from RAAF-Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU). In regard to the Ausroc II-2 hardware, things have been progressing at a steady level and we hope to be able to commence final assembly of the vehicle structure within the next 6-8 weeks. Essentially all of the internal systems such as valves, actuators, check valves, plumbing, hatches, mounting adaptors, pressurisation system, recovery system and fin unit are complete and awaiting installation into the vehicle when the flight tanks are completed in the coming weeks. The electronics is complete, with the exception of the memory board, and is being prepared for a comprehensive series of tests in the near future. Test equipment is currently being fabricated for use in this program. Approval for the use of Building 5, at the ex-ADI Salisbury site, has been granted and we expect to have the key to the building as soon as some legal and insurance issues have been addressed by the government. All going well, the final assembly of Ausroc II-2 will be undertaken at this location. AUSROC III In total, 31 students are involved with the Ausroc III program in 1994 which makes this year the most active year to date. Already, test rigs for the hydraulic gimbal system and the cold gas roll control system have been designed and are in the process of being manufactured at Adelaide Uni. The launch pad, tower and supporting ground infrastructure are making significant progress at the Uni. of Southern Qld. and we hope to have these items manufactured by the end of the year in preparation for tests in early 1995. Students from Sydney Uni. recently visited the composites facilities at Hawker de Havilland to see, first hand, how composite structures are fabricated and they are well on the way to designing the various fairings for Ausroc III. All going well, they may be able to produce several test fairings by the end of the year. The Uni. of SA students are at the stage of producing hardware for the telemetry system. Prototype circuit boards will be manufactured in the near future. The target, here, is to produce an end-to-end system by the end of the year to get signals from sensors conditioned, multiplexed, encoded, transmitted, received, decoded, analysed and displayed. Students from Qld. Uni. of Technology are working on the problem of range safety, impact prediction, tracking and flight termination. This system is planned to be implemented at the Woomera Range in support of the Ausroc III flight safety requirement. In addition to these student projects, numerous members will be involved in providing technical and academic assistance to the students as well as undertaking various other projects. These other projects include the glide recovery parachute system and the Ausroc III rocket motor development. We have recently received permission from ADI property division to use the Ravenhall rocket motor static testing site at Deer Park in Melbourne until a decision regarding its' future is confirmed. Several members are now preparing to refurbish the site in preparation for firings later this year. The Ausroc III activity is increasing and we are looking forward to seeing much hardware being produced over the course of the year. AUSTRALIS-1 - Microsatellite The Australis-1 project is currently in the specification and design phases, with lots of progress being made in 1993. Milestones completed so far include: - completion of the Concept Definition Document - completion of the top level design of the attitude control system - completion of the top level design of the telemetry and power systems - establishment of a ground control station at QUT - completion of the top level design of the IRIS imaging system - completion of the Australis-1 Top Level Design document - completion of the autonomous control architecture - commencement of functional prototyping There are 12 students from QUT and UNSW undertaking projects in support of the Australis-1 program in 1994. These projects include the solar panels, telemetry systems and system reliability analysis. A number of members will be continuing with the IRIS imaging system, system architecture, structural design layout and coordination activities throughout the year. It is currently planned to have Australis-1 launched from an ASAP platform on an Ariane 4 or as a Get-Away-Special (GAS) deployable payload on the Shuttle. The interfacing issues related to the future launch will be defined during 1994. SIGHTER ROCKET - Education Program This is a new program which has stemmed from the availability of surplus military solid rocket motors which are either 3" or 5" diameter. Negotiations are currently underway with the RAAF to arrange a transfer of the motors such that ASRI can use them in an educational program. If all goes well, we will be able to store these motors at the Woomera magazine for use at the Range in the near future. It is currently envisioned that ASRI will design and manufacture the payload modules for the 2 types of rocket motor and offer invitations for flight trials to members, research institutions, universities and schools around the country. The rockets will enable payloads of approximately 10kg to reach altitudes between 4-10 km. Several payloads are already being designed for demonstration trials to be held at the Ausroc II-2 launch campaign in late 1994. Avionics engineering students at QUT are also preparing electronic payloads to be flown from Qld. in early 1995. SCRAMJET - Hypersonic Test Vehicle There are currently 6 students and 5 staff members at UQ undertaking projects leading to the development of the free flight scramjet systems and an engineering mock-up in 1994. Given the inherent complexities of scramjet technology, it has become apparent that there is a requirement for some precursor free-flight hypersonic research trials to be undertaken to validate and compliment the shock tunnel data being obtained at the University of Queensland and elsewhere around the world. This data will greatly assist in the future development of operating scramjet motors. For some time now, ASRI has been searching for a suitable booster rocket to undertake a hypersonic research trial. Discussions were held recently with NASA and the Australian Space Office (ASO) regarding the possible launch of a Hypersonic Test Vehicle (HTV) at the end of the planned NASA sounding rocket campaign to be held at Woomera in September 1995. Hopefully, a positive decision will be reached by both the ASO and NASA-HQ in the near future regarding this proposal. This opportunity offers considerable cost savings to ASRI and UQ over conducting such a trial independently. Given that NASA personnel will conduct the firing, it also alleviates some of the problems associated with obtaining the US State Department approvals associated with the procurement of the booster rockets. The NASA personnel appeared enthusiastic towards participating in such a collaborative program. The ASRI/UQ program was originally planned to be based over a period of approximately 3 years. This opportunity, however, will require the program to be placed on a fast track to meet the 1995 launch deadline. We believe that this proposed program will satisfy 3 major objectives as follows: 1. To increase education, skills and experience of Australian Researchers. 2. To advance the technical knowledge base related to hypersonic flight and scramjet combustion. 3. To raise the profile of space engineering activity within Australia. This proposal represents a rare opportunity for ASRI / UQ to undertake a hypersonic research trial at minimal cost. If the proposal is accepted, we will be looking forward to an exciting and intensive 16 months of activity to advance hypersonic research activity within Australia.