Date of Award

Fall 1997

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Program/Concentration

Engineering Mechanics

Committee Director

Norman F. Knight, Jr.

Committee Member

Chuh Mei

Committee Member

James W. Sawyer

Call Number for Print

Special Collections; LD4331.E57 R58

Abstract

An important step in developing a cost-effective, fully-reusable, launch vehicle is the development of durable, lightweight, insulated, cryogenic propellant tanks. Current cryogenic tanks are expendable, and much of the technology that exist is not usable on future vehicles. As part of the Reusable Launch Vehicle/ X-33 Program, an experimental apparatus for evaluating the effects of both thermal and mechanical loading on cryogenic-tank concepts was developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. Studies to determine the behavior of various liquid-oxygen- and liquid-hydrogen-tank concepts under simulated mission conditions were performed as part of this research and are reported. Selected analytical studies of these tank concepts have also been performed and are reported as well. Comparisons are made between various concepts, and future research is proposed.

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DOI

10.25777/yy4r-6t68

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