Climate and Ozone Impacts of Hydrocarbon Rocket Propulsion Systems

The purpose of this task is to provide the Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) with a more detailed understanding of how hydrocarbon emissions from emerging commercial spaceflight systems could affect climate and ozone. The Volpe Center shall quantify the changes in atmospheric radiation and ozone caused by emissions from two types of hydrocarbon fueled rocket engines - nitrous oxide/ Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (N2O/HTPB) hybrid and (2) liquid oxygen (LOX)/kerosene. Calculations will be based on commonly accepted descriptions of emissions profiles (for H2O, CO2, N2O, NOX, and soot) and projected launch scenarios for low, medium, and high traffic.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Program Information: Commercial Space Transportation, Launch & Reentry Operations

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $108000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  FA-10-00395

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Project Managers:

  Davidian, Ken

• Performing Organizations:

  Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142
• Start Date: 20101115
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20120930
• Source Data: RiP Project 30425

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Civil aviation; Climate; Environmental impacts; Hydrocarbons; Ozone; Pollutants
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rockets
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Operations and Traffic Management; Vehicles and Equipment; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01483461
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: FA-10-00395
• Files: RIP
• Created Date: Jun 9 2013 1:00AM