Kuwait Space Rocket

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kuwait Space Rocket (KSR)
TypeResearch group
IndustryAerospace
FoundedJanuary 2018
FounderNaser Ashknani
Key people
Sulieman Alfuhaid, Fahad Al-Fahad
Members3
Websitewww.kuwaitrocket.com

The Kuwait Space Rocket (KSR), is a Kuwaiti project to build and launch the first suborbital liquid bi-propellant rocket in Arabia.[1] The project is intended to be the first step towards starting a space industry in the country and a launch service provider in the GCC region. The project is divided into two phases with two separate vehicles. An initial testing phase with KSR-1 as a test vehicle capable of reaching an altitude of 8 km (5.0 mi) and a more expansive suborbital test phase with the KSR-2 planned to fly to an altitude of 100 km (62 mi).[2]

History[]

The project began in January 2018 for conceptual design and planning. The team started the fabrication of KSR-1 in early 2019, and as of January 2020, KSR-1 was fully built.[3]

KSR-1[]

KSR-1 is a vertically-launched single stage rocket. It uses a liquid bi-propellant rocket engine burning methanol as fuel and nitrous oxide as the oxidizer. KSR-1 is intended to be a test vehicle for the development of KSR-2, the goal of which is to reach space. As such, all the major components and technologies that are expected to be used in KSR-2 are present in KSR-1. The main components of KSR 1 are the engine—consisting of the injector, nozzle, and cooling jacket— with fuel and oxidizer tanks, a nitrogen gas tank, and various valves and pressure regulators.[4]

KSR-1 Vehicle Dimensions


KSR-1 Vehicle mass properties
Section Mass (kg)
Dry mass 12[citation needed]
Nitrous oxide mass 3.2[citation needed]
Methanol mass 0.8[citation needed]
Total propellant mass 4[citation needed]
Total vehicle mass 16[citation needed]
KSR-1 Properties
Property Value
Chamber pressure 3100 kPa
Exit pressure 94 kPa
Momentum thrust 520.1 N
Nozzle exit velocity 2213 m/s
Burn rate 16.8 s
Oxidizer mass flow rate 0.19 kg/s
Fuel mass flow rate 0.047 kg/s

KSR-1 Development Process[]

Engine Fabrication[]

The KSR-1 engine was built locally in Kuwait and it utilizes a pressure fed cycle. The engine utilizes the nitrous not only as an oxidizer but as a cooling agent, that flows around the nozzle and back into the injector again.[5]

From left to right: Methanol inlet (Injector), Injector to Nozzle Connector, Copper Nozzle, Nitrous inlets (Injector), Nitrous pipe connector, Nitrous return elbow
Assembled KSR-1 Injector

Cold Flow Testing[]

The KSR team performed a cold flow testing in October 2019 to verify the engine's flow rate and plumbing.

Cold Flow Test

Static Testing[]

KSR performed a static testing of the Injector in November 2019.

Injector Static Test

Structural Assembly[]

The KSR-1 was fully assembled and presented at the Kuwait Aviation Show 2020.[6]

KSR-1 Rocket

KSR-2[]

KSR-2 is a planned liquid bi-propellant suborbital launch vehicle. It is the second installment of the KSR Rocket Family, composed of a single stage, fueled by nitrous oxide and methanol. KSR-2 will have a total length of 4 m, a diameter of 0.4 m and a total mass of 591 kg, its apogee will be around 100 km.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Kuwaiti youth eager to put country on space exploration map". Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). 2018-09-24. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  2. ^ "ناصر أشكناني لـ"السياسة": صاروخ فضائي كويتي يضعنا في الدول المتقدمة". السياسة جريدة كويتية يومية | Al SEYASSAH Newspaper (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  3. ^ "بالفيديو الكويت تطلق أول صاروخ فضائي محلي الصنع بعد عامين". Alanba (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  4. ^ "Kuwait Rocket". Kuwait Rocket. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  5. ^ الحافظ, أحمد (28 December 2019). "شباب كويتيون يستعدون لإطلاق أول صاروخ فضائي". AlQabas (in Arabic). Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  6. ^ "News – Kuwait Aviation Show 2020". Retrieved 2020-02-15.
Retrieved from ""