▶ Date: 2022. 12. 01(THU)

▶ Time: 4:30 ~ 5:30PM

▶ Venue : Research Building I, #310 / Offline

▶ Speaker: Dr. Hwan-Seok Choi(Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Vice President)

▶ Title: Development of Chemical Rocket Propulsion in Korea and Vision for Nuclear Space Propulsion

▶ Abstract:

Chemical propulsion has long been a major propulsion system for space propulsion, especially for the rocket propulsion. The rocket propulsion has evolved along with the development of rocketry. Modern practical rocketry finds its origin from the German V-2 rocket which participated in the 2nd World War as a bomber. Afterwards the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union has contributed to rapid advances in the rocketry and chemical rocket propulsion as well. The Korean activities for the development of liquid rocket propulsion were tackled in 1997 under the Korea’s first liquid-propelled sounding rocket program, called KSR-III, and advanced to the space launch vehicle NURI(KSLV-II) which has successfully flown in June 2022.

The research on nuclear thermal propulsion(NTP) was initiated as early as in 1950s. An American nuclear rocket programs Rover/NERVA(Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) which started in 1955 to develop a nuclear thermal propulsion system for use on lunar and interplanetary manned space missions achieved rapid progresses and a bunch of ground tests were performed on test reactors even though the program was terminated in 1973 without achieving any flight tests. Recently, renewed interests are being addressed to the NTP as a game changing technology for deep space exploration owing to its outstanding advantages in terms of efficiency compared to conventional chemical propulsion.

This seminar will deal with Korean activities elaborated on the development of chemical rocket engines for the NURI space launch vehicle, underlying technological issues and achievements. The vision of nuclear space propulsion, in the era of New Space Age, for deep space exploration will also be touched.