1818. Weight Savings in Aerospace Vehicles Through Propellant Scavenging
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Paper
Abstract
This paper addresses the vehicle payload benefits of scavenging hydrogen and oxygen propellants from the launch propulsion system reserves and residuals for utilization in the auxiliary propulsion system. The Shuttle II vehicle on a Space Station rendezvous mission is chosen for study. The propellant scavenging system scavenges propellants from the launch propulsion tankage during orbital maneuvers and stores them in well insulated liquid accumulators for use in a cryogenic auxiliary propulsion system. The fraction of auxiliary propulsion propellant which may be scavenged for propulsive purposes is estimated to be 45.1%. The auxiliary propulsion subsystem dry mass, including the proposed scavenging system, an additional 20% for secondary structure, an additional 5% for electrical service, a 10% weight growth margin, and 15.4% propellant reserves and residuals is estimated to be 6331 kg (13958 lbm).
