Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

Nammo hybrid rocket propulsion work

Nammo Raufoss has since 2004 invested and actively worked on the development of hybrid rocket propulsion systems. A hybrid rocket engine has several interesting and advantageous capabilities that solid propellant based rockets often lack:
1) Inherent safety -> no explosives since the liquid oxidizer and fuel is separated in two tanks
2) Throttling capability -> broad range of thrust throttling which provide on demand impulse management
3) On demand termination -> a hybrid rocket motor can if needed be terminated on demand
4) Re-ignition -> a hybrid rocket motor can if needed be re-ignited on demand multiple of times
5) High-performance -> several hybrid rocket propellants produces specific impulse levels superior to that of solid propellants

Nammo state-of-the-art hybrid rocket propulsion technology has demonstrated all the above listed capabilities within a compact and non-toxic (green) propulsion package.

Past programs

Program / Period	Customer / collaborator(s)	Oxidizer(s)	Fuel(s)	Image
Nammo technology 2004 - 2005	N.A	Gaseous oxygen	HTPB/C
Hybrid Test Rocket 2005 – 2007	Lockheed Martin, Andøya Rocket Range	Liquid oxygen	HTPB/C
A5ME Phase 1 SCATE study 2009 – 2010	ESA	Liquid oxygen Hydrogen peroxide Nitrous oxide Nitrogen tetroxide Nytrox	HTPB/C HTPB/Al Paraffin’s
A5ME Phase 2 SCATE study 2010 – 2011	EADS Astrium Bremen	Hydrogen peroxide	HTPB/C
TRL improvement program hybrid rocket propulsion 2010 – 2011	ESA (customer) Saab Dynamics Underwater Systems	Hydrogen peroxide	HTPB/C

Ongoing programs

Program	Customer / collaborator(s)	Oxidizer(s)	Fuel(s)	Image
SHT lab-scale testing	Norwegian Space Centre	Gaseous oxygen	HTPB/C HTPB/Al HTPB/Al/AP Paraffin’s
Student hybrid rocket	Norwegain Space Centre, Andøya Rocket Range	Nitrous oxide	HTPB/C
Large-scale hybrid rocket engine	ESA FLPP Saab Dynamics Underwater Systems	Hydrogen peroxide	New fuels
SPARTAN Read more on: http://www.spartanproject.eu	EU P7 (customer), Thales Alenia Space, Bradford, Studiel, Politecnico Di Milano, BRNO University of Technology, GMV, Universita Degli Studi Di Padova	Hydrogen peroxide	HTPB/C
North Star Rocket System Three sounding rockets One satellite launcher: 10kg/650km polar orbit	Norwegian Space Center, Andøya Rocket Range	-	-