AE201 Term Paper

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 5

History of Rocket Engines

Abstract
The Rockets today are important part of our life. Rockets are used to put satellites into the orbit
which further is useful for communication, GPS navigation, Space exploration and many more
things. For any nation defense is its first priority and Rockets are very important part of defense.
The Rockets also play a key role in scientific research. The Rockets which we see today in full-
fledged form has a long history from 400 BCE. This essay discusses about History of Rocket
Engines from ancient to medieval to modern era.

Introduction
Let me introduce some basic terminologies for rocket Engines.
Thrust: The force generated by a rocket engine to propel the rocket forward.
Propellant: The chemical substances used by the rocket engine to produce thrust. It typically
consists of fuel and an oxidizer.
Oxidizer: A chemical that provides the oxygen needed for the fuel to burn in a rocket engine.
Rockets carry their own oxidizer because there is no oxygen in space.
Nozzle: A device at the end of a rocket engine that accelerates the exhaust gases out of the
engine, increasing thrust. It converts the thermal energy of the gases into kinetic energy.
Exhaust Velocity: The speed at which the exhaust gases leave the nozzle of the rocket. Higher
exhaust velocity generally means higher thrust and better engine performance.
Combustion Chamber: The part of the rocket engine where the fuel and oxidizer are mixed and
burned to produce hot gases.
Payload: The cargo carried by the rocket, which could be satellites, scientific instruments, or
crew members.
Evolution of Rockets was a long process because as we know
Engineering is intense application of science and mathematics, therefore in addition to rocket
engines we will also see the history of propellants. Science and mathematics were itself evolving
and good rockets started to form after Newton made his three laws. There is no specific person to
which we can give credit for making rockets but Robert H. Goddard is known as Father of
Modern Rocketry.

Discussion
I would like to discuss on the following Topics:
1. Rocket engines in ancient times
2. Rocket Engines in medieval times
3. Modern Rocketry

Section 1: Rocket Engines in Ancient Times

In 1st century BCE we have Hero’s Engine (see Figure1) in Greece which had pair of steam
engines nozzles attached on bearing. Although it’s not rocket
but it lay the foundation for rocket engines specially the
propulsion part. So basically there is a sphere and two
nozzles are attached, and it is kept on kettle burnt. While
burning the gas goes into the sphere through pipe and comes
out of the nozzle making the sphere to rotate.

Section 2: Rocket in Medieval Times

Now At 1232
China was
having a war
with Mongol
and therefore
china was
repelling it
with fire
Figure 1
rockets. Figure 2
Where this fire rockets were solid propellant
rocket and they were tubes which contained gun
powder. When these were burned it would
produce fire and smoke. Also gas was produced due to which it escaped and gave a thrust to
rockets. After Wars, the Mongols started making their own rockets and due to which awareness
about rockets increased in Europe. Throughout 13th to 15th centuries many rocket experiments
were carried out. In England, there was a monk Roger Bacon was working on gunpowder in
order to increase the range of rockets. Jean Froissart a person in France he discovered that if we
launch rockets through tubes it will lead to accurate flights.
A Chinese official named Wan-Hu made a flying chair with the help of rockets. That Chair had 2
big Kites on which 47 Rockets were attached.

Wan-Hu sat himself on the chair and gave the command to light the rockets then 47 Rockets
were fired with the help of assistants. In a moment, there were clouds of smoke. When the smoke
cleared, Wan-Hu and his flying chair were not there at the place of launch. No one knows what
really happened; Wan-Hu and his chair were blown to pieces.

Section 3: Modern Rocketry

Now comes an important point in history of science and Technology which is advent of
Newton’s law. Newton gave his three laws which were very important for Mechanics of Rockets
and from that’s where modern rocketry starts.
About 1720, a Dutch professor, Willem Gravesande, started making models of cars which were
propelled by jets of steam. Rocket experimenters in Germany and Russia started using rockets
with a mass of more than 45 kilograms.
Some of these rockets were so powerful that
their escaping exhaust flames made deep
holes in the ground before the rocket lifts.
During the end of the 18th century and early
into the 19th, rockets were used as a weapon
for war.
As specified earlier Robert H. Goddard is
known as Father of Modern Rocketry.
Goddard started conducting experiments
with liquid oxidizer in September 1921, and
successfully tested the first liquid propellant
engine in November 1923. It had a
cylindrical combustion chamber. Goddard
conducted one more test in December, and
twice in January 1926. After that, he started
preparing launch for the rocket system.
Goddard launched the world's first liquid-
fueled (gasoline and liquid oxygen) rocket
(see Figure 3) on March 16, 1926. Goddard's diary entry:

“March 16. Went to Auburn with S[achs] in am. E[sther]


Figure 3 and Mr. Roope came out at 1 p.m.
Tried rocket at 2.30. It rose 41 feet & went 184 feet, in 2.5 seconds. After the lower half of the
nozzle burned off. Brought materials to lab. ...”
His diary entry the next day elaborated:
“March 17, 1926. The first flight with a rocket using liquid propellants was made yesterday at
Aunt Effie's farm in Auburn. ... Even though the release was pulled, the rocket did not rise at
first, but the flame came out, and there was a steady roar. After a number of seconds it rose,
slowly until it cleared the frame, and then at express train speed, curving over to the left, and
striking the ice and snow, still going at a rapid rate.”
After this more modern Rockets were made.

Figure 3: RS-68 being Tested at NASA’s Stenning Space Centre

Summary and Conclusions


So Rocket engines propulsion principle was given by Hero engine. After that due to China
Mongol War Chinese military started using gun powder based rockets which show that the need
for the Rockets emerged mostly due to defense. From then on use for rockets started spreading
on whole Europe and experiments were carried out. Real and more stable rockets were made
after and due to Sir Isaac Newton, who gave three fundamental laws of mechanics. Modern
Rocketry begins with Robert H. Goddard (Father of Modern Rocketry). From then on till now
Intense Scientific research is being carried out. And Nowadays Rockets have become important
part of scientific research and also life of people. History of Rocket Engines clearly shows us
that great things takes time.

References
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_H._Goddard#First_flight
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_engine#Rocket_engine_development
3. https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/TRC/Rockets/history_of_rockets.html
4. https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/rockets-guide-20-history.pdf?
emrc=231d29
5. Rockets and People Volume II: Creating a Rocket Industry by Boris Chertok

You might also like