LOX/Methane rocket engines-from S. Korea??!!!

[trailrider]

According to AvLeak, a South Korean company has successfully static tested a 22,000 lbf liquid oxygen/liquid methane, turbo-pump driven, regeneratively-cooled nozzle and combustion chamber engine for about 10 seconds. <br /><br />After the ROK government shelved the project in favor of a LOX/kerosene engine, the principal researcher, Kyoung-ho Kim, formed his own company, C&Space. The engine, called "Chase-10" is also being marketed in the U.S. by AirBoss Aerospace. The current configuration does NOT have airborne restart capability, but that IS being added, along with gimballing capability.<br /><br />AvWeek quotes Kim as saying that a flight-certified, reusable Chase-10 can be delivered in 9-12 months after an order is placed, depending on the exact configuration required! Apparently they are aiming towards small (1000 lb) satellites, manned commercial tourist flights, and possibly for any customer that wants a quick-reaction launch capability with reusability...in, say, six-hour turn-arounds!<br /><br />So far they haven't said anything about NASA being interested. Is this a case of NIH (Not Invented Here)?<br /><br />Now, let's see...do we need to start studying Korean as well as Chinese in order to get visas to land on the Moon?<br /><br />Ad Luna! Ad Ares! Ad Astra!

 

[CalliArcale]

I doubt it's an NIH problem seriously. The real problems are that NASA has plenty of other irons in the fire at present, and they're not allowed to buy outside of America unless they can demonstrate that the needed capability is not available from an American vendor. (That's a rule that applies to all government agencies, as part of a way of making sure most American tax dollars stay in America.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[propforce]

We have U.S. manufacturers' LOX/Methane engines available. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[tap_sa]

<font color="yellow">"they're not allowed to buy outside of America unless they can demonstrate that the needed capability is not available from an American vendor."</font><br /><br />That's a national NIH phenomenon. The rationale easy to understand since it's tax payers' money in question. Still dunno if it's wise for ATK&XCOR to <i>begin</i> tinkering with some ugly 1/3 thrust battleship version when almost flight-ready thing is available. <br /><br />propforce: Anybody else than XCOR?

 

[propforce]

<font color="yellow">propforce: Anybody else than XCOR? </font><br /><br />The usual suspects of Aerojet & Rocketdyne. <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[tap_sa]

No doubt those two could develope very good methane/LOX engines if you throw XXX million at them. But do they have any previous experience or anything on the shelf right now?

 

[propforce]

Both companies have LOX/CH4 experience but no public information is yet available. Aerojet also markets many Russian LOX/CH4 engines including the big booster engines. Rocketdyne's experience is mostly on the pressure-fed system so far.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>