Launch Vehicle

Even though designing a launch vehicle isn't our main focus point for this competition, it is still a major part of the X-Prize and we have decided to place in on our website regardlessly. X-Prize teams must design an affordable, and efficient Launch Vehicle to take a rover into space. The rocket of the launch vehicle must be powerful enough to escape the gravity of the Earth and send a rover on it's path to the Moon. Once there, the rover must be capable of autonomously slowing down from speeds of around 12,000 mph and landing on the moon without being damaged.

The Launch Vehicle for our rover will have three stages.

Stage 1: The first stage is made up of an engine, fuel and oxidizer tanks, and a section for electronic equipment. The engine burns kerosene and liquid oxygen, which are separated until shortly before liftoff, and propel the Launch Vehicle off the launch pad. Once in the air, a pump continuously pushes more and more kerosene and liquid oxygen into the combustion chamber to accelerate the rocket. Along with the main liquid propellant rocket, there are 9 strap-on solid propellant rockets made of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene fuel and a light-weight graphite-epoxy shell. These rockets produce additional thrust and help accelerate the 600 thousand pound Launch Vehicle miles into the sky and into closer to space. [6]

Stage 2: The second stage rockets are fired up shortly after stage 1 is jettisoned, as the rocket approaches low orbit. The engine burns Aerozine 50 and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer, which combust automatically, without the need to be lighted. Stage two is fires twice, first to help the rocket enter a low orbit with the Earth, where it shuts off until it lines up with the moon. Once in the right angle, the engine fires up again and starts heading on a path to the moon.[6]

Stage 3: The third stage is the most crucial part to getting to the moon. Before the third stage motor fires up, the rocket is in the Earth's gravitational pull. The rockets in the third stage must be powerful enough to move the rocket at 20,000 mph or more, the speed it takes to escape the Earth's gravitational pull. This solid propellant rocket burns approximately 2,000 pound of ammonium perchlorate and aluminum composed solid propellant in the 90 seconds in which it is lit. Once the propellant burns out, the third stage spins like a top to stabilize it's flight and keep it on track towards the moon.[6]

Payload Fairing: The spacecraft (in which the rover is housed) and upper two stages are kept in the payload fairing. The fairing protects the equipment from the elements and makes the rocket more aerodynamic. After protecting the payload from the tremendous pressure of lift off, the fairing is jettisoned after the ignition of the second stage.[6]

Distance: The moon is a total of 238,857 miles away from Earth. If we travel most of the distance at 12,000 mph, the rover will arrive at the Moon in 20 hours. [17]