Hyperion

Overview

Hyperion is SSTA's hybrid-propellant rocket, combining a solid aluminized plastisol fuel grain with liquid nitrous oxide as oxidizer. The project gave new members hands-on experience with hybrid motor design and fabrication, aero structures design and fabrication, testing, simulations, and vehicle integration.

Key Systems

• Hybrid Motor: A student-designed motor pairing a solid aluminized plastisol fuel grain for high regression rate with nitrous oxide oxidizer for the self pressurized tank.
• Airframe: Composite fiberglass airframe engineered to couple with the motor at the same diameter to cut drag losses and extra weight in motor retaining. Hyperion reduced the diameter of the combustion chamber for housing of a Fin Can to fit directly on top of the motor casing.
• Oxidizer Feed: Outside of using a Urbanski-Colburn type fill, Hyperion had no internal plumbing other than a dip tube that vented through the side of the bulkhead to prevent gaseous leaks into critical avionics and recovery components.
• Avionics: Hyperion used 2 Blue Raven Altimiters and a Featherweight GPS for reliable flight data and ground tracking.
• Recovery: Recovery: Hyperion used a Single Bay Dual Deploy method that utilized the Blue Ravens for Drogue and a Tender Decender 2 for main. The single bay strategy helped reduce overall length of the rocket.