Download - SEDS Newsletter '13
NEWSLETTER
JULY 2013 Volume 1
Students for the Exploration and
Development of Space
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University of California, San Diego
Welcome: - How SEDS@UCSD all began
Advisors: - Dr. Forman Williams – UC San Diego
Combustion Professor - Jonathan Jones – Marshall Space Flight Center
Aerospace Engineer - Carl Tedesco - Flometrics
Senior Engineer - Paul Breed – Unreasonable Rocket
Design Advisor
3D Printed Injector Plate: - A first glance into the future of rocket science
The Static Fire System: - Creating the test stand that will ensure
workability
DIY Rocket Competition: - The challenge to design a 3D Printable Rocket
motor
The Future: - A look into SEDS’s future goals
Contents
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space 9500 Gilman Dr. MC0078 La Jolla, CA 92093-0078
Page 2 Vol. 1
SEDS
Students for the Exploration
and Development of Space (SEDS) is a
globally recognized organization, with
36 chapters in the US, that is expanding
rapidly around the world. The chapter
at UC San Diego was founded during the
2012-2013 academic school year by
Deepak Atyam, Joshua Benedictos, Ken-
neth Benedictos, Benjamin Liu, and Del-
phine Sherman.
The founding President,
Deepak Atyam, was inspired by a col-
league, working on rocket engines, to
pursue further research into metal
printed motors. That colleague, and
current SEDS@UCSD mentor, Jonathan
Jones, assisted us in the development of
complex rocket engines using a relative-
ly simple precision device, a 3D printer.
In theory the time and cost to manufac-
ture an injector plate could be signifi-
cantly reduced via the utilization of a
Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DLMS)
printer. With the assistance and guid-
ance of Marshall Space Flight Center
and other prominent individuals in the
Aerospace field, SEDS@UCSD became a
group of undergraduate researchers on
a mission to design, print, and test the
feasibility of 3D printed rocket engines.
As a tight knit team of engi-
neering students working diligently,
SEDS has become a well-established
organization at San Diego, in the span of
just a few months.
Welcome
Dr. Forman Williams is the staff advisor for SEDS at
UCSD. Dr. Williams holds a PhD in Engineering Science and is re-
nowned for his specialization in the field of combustion through
his authoring of Combustion Theory (Addison, Wesley, 2nd
and co-
author of Fundamental Aspects of Combustion (Oxford, 1993). He
received his BSE from Princeton University in 1955 and his PhD
from California Institute of Technology in 1958. He then taught
at Harvard University until 1964 and later remained at UCSD since 1988. Dr. Williams
generously provided work space in his combustion lab on campus for the SEDS team to
assemble their static fire test system.
Carl Tedesco is the technical advisor for SEDS, providing
workspace at his engineering company, Flometrics, in Carlsbad,
CA. He currently holds the position as senior engineer at Flomet-
rics, responsible for the design, fabrication, analysis, testing, and
documentation of consumer products from medical devices to
spacecraft components. Mr. Tedesco received his Bachelor of
Science in Mechanical Engineering (1997) as well as his Masters of Science in Mechanical
Engineering (2004) from San Diego State University (SDSU). He served as the advi-
sor/mentor for the SDSU Rocket Project since 2003 and currently maintains that position
today. Mr. Tedesco has taught Fluid Mechanics courses at SDSU as well as provided a great
deal of information and physical assistance in the assembly and plumbing of the SEDS static
fire system.
Paul Breed, a prominent engineer in the Aerospace field, is an
advisor for SEDS who has counseled the club as well as donated nu-
merous parts for the static fire test system. Paul Breed is the current
owner of Netburner and has served as Network Management Engi-
neer at Argon Networks, Shiva, and Cabletron. A graduate from
Harvey Mudd College, Paul Breed is most notable for his blog “Unreasonable Rocket,” in
which he documents the projects that he constructs in his garage. A striking individual in
the area of 3D printing, he designed and printed the 1st
successfully flown liquid fueled 3D
rocket engine.
Jonathan Jones, an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Marshall Space
Flight Center, has been an advisor for SEDS since the formation of the
club. He introduced the concept of 3D printing and challenged SEDS to
design the injector plate providing advice on the dimensions and warning
the team about common mistakes to avoid while designing a rocket’s
propulsion system. He also provided SEDS access to GPI Prototype &
Manufacturing Services, Inc., a rapid prototyping and additive manufac-
turing service company that printed out the 3D rocket engine
propulsion system. He also provided SEDS access to GPI Prototype & Manufacturing Ser-
vices, Inc., a rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing service company that printed out
the 3D rocket engine design.
Page 3 Vol. 1
SEDS
3D Printed Injector Plate
UCSD became the first university in
the world to design and print a liquid fueled
metal rocket engine. Starting with a group of
eager and determined students in the field of
rocket science, SEDS began reading books,
learning rocket equations, and working
out graduate school
level problems prior to
acquiring knowledge
on injector plate and
combustion chamber
designs. Through their
continual research and
the help of their men-
tors, SEDS was able to
engineer their own
rocket motor with
unique upstream man-
ifolding, specifically
utilizing the advantages
of 3D printing. The injector plate’s orifice pat-
tern features a F-O-O-F element pattern with
two outer fuel orifices converging with two in-
ner oxidizer orifices. An innovative boundary
film cooling layer, with a spiral orientation, was
incorporated in the design in an attempt to
concentrate the propellant combustion to the
center so that heat flux could be decreased on
the chamber walls. In addition, a regenerative
cooling jacket was designed to encase the en-
gine from the throat to the nozzle. The regen-
eratively cooled jacket is used to improve the
performance, and lifespan of the motor. With
the finalized design, SEDS decided to print the
engine with cobalt-chromium as the material
of choice using a Direct Metal La-
ser Sintering (DMLS) 3D printer.
Unfortunately, upon receiving the
team’s printed engine, the 3D
printing company didn’t manufac-
ture the motor as was detailed.
October
- Project Assigned by Jonathan Jones
November – January
- Reviewed Textbooks: Study-ing textbooks and docu-ments on rocket propulsion to ensure understanding of the rocket equations and de-signs
February
- Applied rocket equations to given parameters to deter-mine dimensions for the rocket engine
Any testing of the propulsion
system was postponed until ear-
ly-October 2013. SEDS members
that are at UCSD for the summer
are working on finalizing the
testing stand, working on a data
acquisition system, and obtain-
ing sensors to measure thermal
fluctuations and pressure in the
engine. The printed engine has
been shipped to Langley Re-
search Center where technicians
are working with President,
Deepak Atyam, to try and cor-
rect the manufacturing error.
Pictured: 3D printed Regeneratively Cooled Liquid Fueled Rocket Engine
2012-2013 Timeline
Page 4 Vol. 1
SEDS
March
- Fundraising: The SEDS team
took every opportunity to
barbeque a homemade reci-
pe of delicious marinated
chicken at campus events in
order to buy parts and mate-
rials
April
- Determined injector plate
element pattern (FOOF):
Compared the pros and cons
of various element patterns
and concluded that the FOOF
design was best suited for
optimum engine perfor-
mance
the pneumatic valves were successfully
tested with liquid oxygen to check for
proper function in subzero tempera-
tures. Countless hours were spent on
the design and construction of the stat-
ic fire test system to ensure safety and
reliability. After completion, a pressure
test was conducted to assure that all
valves were properly working. Lastly, a
leak test was done with a highly sensi-
tive solution called “Snoop,” which
bubbled at locations on the test appa-
ratus that were leaking air during the
pressure test. This pin pointed areas
that needed to be either tightened or
re-fitted to prevent leakage. Once as-
sembly was complete and all tests con-
firmed faultless working components,
the static fire test system was com-
plete. The entire system will be mount-
ed to a grounded I-beam at the Friends
of Amateur Rocketry (FAR) launch site
in Mojave, California, and will be fired
in early-October, 2013.
in the walls of the combustion
chamber to improve engine performance
and efficiency. With the finalized design,
SEDS decided to print the engine with
The Static Fire System
With a finalized
design of the engine, it
was essential for SEDS to
test their system in order
to gauge the feasibility
and efficiency of creating
a rocket motor via the
method of 3D printing.
The Static Fire System will
be used to test the engine
and was conceptualized
and fabricated by the
SEDS team. It will be
Pictured: SEDS Static Fire System
With a final-
ized design of the
engine, it was essen-
tial for SEDS to test
their system in order
to gauge the feasibil-
ity and efficiency of
creating a rocket mo-
tor via the method of
3D printing. The Stat-
ic Fire System will be
used to test the
engine and was concep-
tualized and fabricated
by the SEDS team. It will
be implemented to de-
termine whether or not
3-D printed rocket mo-
tors can meet their an-
ticipated performance
level. Prior to fabrication
of the test stand, a
schematic of the entire
system was drawn and
the SEDS team gathered
necessary parts through
donations, borrowing,
and fundraising.
The static fire test appa-
ratus consists of a blow-
down system and con-
tains two separate tanks
(the liquid oxygen tank
and the RP-1 tank) fol-
lowed by a system of
pipes, fittings, and actu-
ators that lead to the
engine. However, before
assembly, a flow-test of
the injector plate was
performed to ensure the
orifices were not
clogged, which might
have occurred during
printing. In addition, the
pneumatic valves were
tested with liquid oxy-
gen to check for proper
function in subzero
temperatures. Countless
hours were
With a final-
ized design of the en-
gine, it was essential
for SEDS to test their
system in order to
gauge the feasibility
and efficiency of creat-
ing a rocket motor via
the method of 3D
printing. To test a
rocket engine a con-
traption called a Static
Fire System is used,
aptly named due to the immobile na-
ture of the structure, to conduct the
experiment. The Static Fire System was
conceptualized and fabricated by the
SEDS team. It will be implemented to
determine whether or not 3D printed
rocket motors can meet their expected
level of performance. Prior to fabrica-
tion of the test stand, a schematic of
the entire system was drawn to scale
and the team gathered necessary parts
through donations, borrowing, and var-
ious fundraisers.
The static fire test apparatus
consists of a pressure-fed system that
utilizes two separate tanks holding liq-
uid oxygen and RP-1 (Rocket Propel-
lant-1), respectively. The tanks are fol-
lowed by a system of pipes, fittings,
and actuators that lead to the engine.
However, before assembly, a flow-test
of the injector plate was performed to
ensure the orifices were not clogged,
which might have occurred during
printing. In addition,
Page 5 Vol. 1
SEDS
First Print with a Plastic Printer
- Printed plastic 3D Injector
plate with a Makerbot plastic
printer. Got a first look at the
physical model of the pro-
posed injector plate
- Flow tested plastic injector
plate with water. Analyzed
potential printing errors and
improved design to prevent
faults in the final metal print-
ing of the injector plate
May
- Static Fire System Design began.
- Construction of the static fire test apparatus: acquired skills in pipe bending, flaring, and honed machining skills.
The DIY Rocket Competition is a
contest created by DIYRockets Inc. and
is dedicated to lowering the cost of
space exploration through cooperative
efforts by its contestants. The objective
of the competition itself is to create a
collaborative design and a business case
for safe and cost-efficient 3D printed
rocket engines that are capable of carry-
ing up to 10kg payloads into Low Earth
Orbit. SEDS-UCSD’s design won Best
Student Team taking home $2,500 prize
money as well as each team member
receiving $165 in credit for 3D printing
at Shapeways printing center
This past year we have designed,
analyzed, and printed a 200lb thrust
rocket engine that is soon to be tested
in the Mojave this upcoming October.
UCSD will be the first University in the
world to have accomplished this and if
successful, will be the first entity out of
NASA to have tested the feasibility of 3D
parts to this level.
DIY Competition
The resolution of the Makerbot Replicator 2 plastic printer wasn’t able
to print every orifice precise to its dimensions which blocked the impingement
of some holes.
SEDS has currently designed
an engine that acts as the third stage
of a NanoSat launcher capable of at-
taining 200lbs of thrust. If the static fire
test is successful, it will be confirmed
that 3D printers are a viable option for
producing entire rocket engines of this
size, not just individual components.
With the assistance SEDS received from
local companies and from the first per-
son in the world that has designed,
printed, and tested metal rocket en-
gines, Paul Breed, the SEDS team be-
lieves that they will succeed in their
static fire test. Their next step, after a
successful static fire, would be to con-
duct a proof of concept test in an at-
tempt to design, print, and test the first
stage of a three stage NanoSat launch-
er. If triumphant, it will be theoretically
proven that all 3 stages of a NanoSat
launch vehicle can be printed for a frac-
tion of the cost and time with sizeable
increase in performance, efficiency, and
accuracy.
Page 6 Vol. 1
SEDS
June
- 3D printed rocket motor re-ceived in two separate parts.
- Hydro-tested metal injector plate and completed static fire system assembly.
After the DIY Competition,
SEDS@UCSD will continue their en-
deavor for space exploration and ex-
pand their network as well as gain visi-
bility in the Aerospace industry. This
will be done by attending conferences
and communicating with prominent
professionals and industries. In the
past, the SED team members engaged
in industry tours specifically with
Space-X and the Jet Propulsion Labora-
tory. In addition, they organized din-
ners with professionals where they
conversed and learned about the indi-
vidual’s job and experience working in
the Aerospace field.
In the future, SEDS plans on
attending the AIAA Space 2013 Confer-
ence & Exposition in September 2013,
which will be hosted in San Diego. They
will find out what lies ahead in the
Not Pictured: Edmond Ngo, Jin Oh
The Future
Not Pictured: Edmond Ngo, Jin Oh
latest innovations in space technology
as well as showcase their past year’s
project as they discuss their work, chal-
lenges, and solutions. Later, the team
members will relocate to Arizona State
University from November 7th to No-
vember 10th in order to participate in
the SEDS SpaceVision conference. This
event will demonstrate the cooperative
efforts of scientists and engineers with
business people, artists, and journalists
who will continue to make our civiliza-
tion a space faring one. SEDS@UCSD
also plans to write a technical paper and
submit it for entry to the AIAA Region VI
Student Conference in 2014. Further-
more, SEDS plans on entering other var-
ious competitions to continue their
growing passion for space exploration
and development of new technologies.
Not Pictured: Edmond Ngo, Jin Oh
Page 7 Vol. 1
SEDS
Deepak Atyam President [email protected]
Joshua Benedictos Vice-President [email protected]
Kenneth Benedictos Secretary [email protected]
Edmond Ngo Treasurer [email protected]
Special thanks to:
Garvey Spacecraft
Corporation
Club Officers
Benjamin Liu Chapter Representative [email protected]