From ASRI News, No. 1, pp. 3-4, Nov. 1993 AUSROC PROGRAM UPDATE October 1993 AUSROC II-2 The AUSROC II-2 vehicle is, essentially, a modified AUSROC II with improved features to eliminate the possibility of a recurrence of events that resulted in the destruction of the original vehicle. The overall length of the vehicle will be close to the original 6 m but the body diameter has been reduced from 258 mm to 250 mm due to the availability of commercial tubestocks. The new vehicle is being manufactured in anticipation of a mid 1994 trial out at the Woomera Rocket Range. Below is the current status of each of the major components of the new vehicle. The lox/kero engine from the original Ausroc II is being reused since it received essentially no damage from the failed flight attempt. We have decided that the backup injector will be used even though the original injector is still in usable form. Three Apollo brand stainless steel ball valves have been purchased; one each for the lox and kerosene systems and 1 spare. The kerosene valve assembly, complete with Kinetrol 02 pneumatic actuator, is complete and has undergone initial testing. The lox valve assembly has been completed. A pneumatic piston and lever arm arrangement has replaced the original kinetrol actuator in this new assembly. The piston assembly allows for greater thermal isolation between the actuator and the lox valve. The plastic pneumatic hoses have been replaced by 3.2 mm diameter stainless steel tubing and swagelok fittings. From a structural point of view, all body tube sections of the rocket have been cut. They need to be squared on the lathe and have the access holes milled into them in preparation for the installation of the hatch backing plates. The fin unit has been complete for some months now and uses 3 ex-Aerohigh fins instead of the 4 fin arrangement from the original vehicle. The new fins and fin mounts also represent an increase in strength over the original arrangement. The thrust mount which connects the engine, injector and fin unit to the airframe has been completed and awaits installation. The tank tubes have been cut to length but still need to be squared on the lathe. The tank end-caps are in the process of being machined on an NClathe. Once complete the end caps will be welded to the tank tubes and then heat treated and remachined to the final dimensions. The nose cone is complete and we are currently awaiting the completion of the nose adapter rings. The 2 stage parachute recovery system has been refurbished and repacked as per the original design and awaits instalment into the vehicle. The deployment pyrotechnics will remain the same and are awaiting instalment. The pitot tube was straightened out after impacting the ground during the failed flight attempt. The helium pressurisation system is using the original ball valve and Kinetrol 03 actuator and is complete. A new CIG glass wrapped pressure bottle has been purchased and the wall adapter rings and tensioner bars have been manufactured and attached. The pressure regulators are awaiting reseal kits for refurbish- ment. All plumbing adaptors for the propellant and helium systems have been completed ready for instalment including the 2 new check valves to prevent backflow of gases between the 2 tanks. As soon as the tanks and body tubes are completed the segments will be bolted together and the plumbing installed and tested. This assembly will be under- taken in Melbourne. The electronics have been progressing swiftly on this second vehicle and have been revised to simplify the interfacing between the various components. All circuit boards are eurocard size. The following items are currently complete: 1. Main CPU 2. Pyrotechnics Driver 3. Power Supply 4. Analog Conditioner 5. Analog/Digital Converter 6. Video/Audio Transmitter (444 MHz) Items not complete at this stage include the card cage, 1 Mbyte eeprom board, wiring loom, disconnect plug wall adapters and the antennas. We are also still awaiting the GPS unit and GPS antennas. The following is a list of sensors which are to be incorporated into the Ausroc II-2 structure: 1. Lox, Kero & Helium Tank Pressures 2. Lox, Kero & Helium Valve position sensors 3. Motor Pressure 4. Pitot Tube - Dynamic and Static Pressure 5. Nose Temperature In regard to the launcher, it will have to be refurbished. A stiffener truss has been designed and needs to be manufactured and welded to the back of the launch rail. The stiffener truss will make the rail more rigid and allow more force to be applied to the tensioner cables. The majority of the Ausroc II-2 materials and eqipment have now been purchsed with the financial assitance provided by the Australian Space Office. At this stage it is estimated that a further $6000 will be required to complete the Ausroc II-2 program provided that the Woomera Launch and insurance policy are essentially free of charge. A submission has been made to RAAF-ARDU several months ago to undertake a second launch campaign at Woomera some time in 1994. A decision regarding this second Ausroc campaign has not yet been made. The mimimum Woomera Range requirements requested for the Ausroc II-2 trial are as follows: 1. Use of Test Shop 1 for pre-flight assembly and test. 2. Use of the IB for Ausroc telemetry equipment. 3. Launcher Area 2. (Using existing Ausroc II launcher) 4. Equipment Centre 2. For launch control operations. 5. Range intercom and timing system. 6. One Adour radar for range safety trace and impact location. A launch liability insurance cover was obtained for the first trial from the Australian Space Insurance Group, which is based in Melbourne. This policy was written to indemnify the Commonwealth to the extent of 10 million dollars. A similar policy will be organised in the near future for the second trial. We were initially planning to have the Ausroc II-2 vehicle completed by the end of 1993. However, delays with the propellant tanks will push the completion date into early 1994. AUSROC III The Ausroc III program is progressing well. To date, most of the Ausroc III projects have been theoretical in nature and little in the way of financial resource has been required to support the program. However, it is expected that development construction of AUSROC III items will commence in ernest in 1994. Students at Adelaide Uni. undertaking the motor gimbal project have fabricated and tested a 2 axis gimbal rig and gone a long way towards completing the design of the hydraulic system. A prototype cold gas thruster has been developed and tested by a student at the Uni. of SA. Several dynamic analysis studies have been undertaken by students at QUT and UNSW. The motor heat transfer analysis has been undertaken by students at Monash and Adelaide Universities. Many other projects are currently underway and due for completion by December. In all, 20 student projects are being undertaken in 1993 which are related to Ausroc III. Talks are to be given by most of these student groups at the ASRI conference in December. Mark Blair ASRI Director Ausroc Program Coordinator