Rocketdyne AR2

The Rocketdyne AR2, also known by the military designation LR42, was a family of liquid-fuelled rocket engines designed and produced in the United States (US) during the 1950s and 1960s.

AR2
AR2 installation of the Lockheed NF-104A
Type liquid-fuelled rocket engine
National origin United States
Manufacturer Rocketdyne
First run 1950s
Major applications Lockheed NF-104A
North American F-86F(R)

Design and development

The Rocketdyne division of North American Aviation developed a relatively small liquid-fuelled rocket engine for thrust augmentation of manned aircraft during the late 1950s. The AR2 is a single-chamber rocket engine burning kerosene (JP-4 or JP-5) jet fuel, oxidised with 90% High Test Peroxide (H2O2 / HTP), allowing the engine to use the same fuel as an aircraft fuel system.[1] The variable-thrust AR2 is a direct development of the fixed thrust AR1, which was given the military designation LR36.

The AR2-3 had variable-thrust and single lever throttle control, regulating flow of oxidiser to the turbo-pump gas-generator and thus flow of propellants to the combustion chamber.[1]

Operational history

Initial flight trials were carried out attached to the belly of North American F-86F-30-NA Sabre (52-4608 / FU-608) re-designated F-86F(R), boosting performance to a top speed of M1.22 at 60,000 ft (18,288 m).[2]

The AR2-3 was evaluated in 1999 as part of the Future-X Demonstrator Engine project, for possible use in the Boeing X-37 Reusable Upper Stage Vehicle at a thrust of 6,600 lbf (29.34 kN), with a specific impulse of 245 seconds.[3][4]

Variants
AR-1
(YLR36-NA-2) Initial fixed-thrust variant.[5]
AR2-1
(YLR42-NA-2) prototype, test and development variable-thrust engines.[6][5]
AR2-2
test and development engines.[6]
AR2-3
Production engines for research and development projects like the NF-104A.[7]

Applications

Specifications (AR2-3)

Data from Astronautix : AR2-3 [3] and Aircraft engines of the World 1964/65.[1]

General characteristics
  • Type: liquid-fuelled rocket engine
  • Length:
  • Diameter:
  • Dry weight:
  • Fuel: Kerosene (JP-4 / JP-5)
  • Oxidiser: High-test peroxide (H2O2)

Components

Performance
  • Thrust: 3,000 lbf (13.34 kN) to 6,000 lbf (26.69 kN)
    • Combustion chamber temperature: 4,600 °F (2,811 K; 2,538 °C)
    • Combustion chamber pressure: 560 psi (3,861 kPa)
    • Specific impulse: 245 seconds
  • Burn time:

References
  1. Wilkinson, Paul H. (1964). Aircraft engines of the World 1964/65 (20th ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. p. 40.
  2. "North American F-86F-30-NA Sabre. (sn 52-4608)-Rocket-assisted take-off". Alamy. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  3. "AR2-3". www.astronautix.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  4. "Peroxide (H2O2) test programs : AR2-3 flight certification". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA. 24 July 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  5. Wilkinson, Paul H. (1966). Aircraft engines of the World 1966/67 (22nd ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. p. 38.
  6. Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1959). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1959-60. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.
  7. Wilkinson, Paul H. (1966). Aircraft engines of the World 1966/67 (22nd ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd.
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