Introduction to Solid Rocket Propulsion

Abstract : The objective of this paper is to present the fundamentals of solid rocket motor (SRM) propulsion. The following topics are covered: the history of SRMs; the basic components of an SRM; the efficiency of an SRM as defined by specific impulse; the characteristics of SRM operation as established by global conservation laws; transformation of the solid propellant to combustion products, which results in changes in pressure and thrust; aspects of an SRM's design that influence aerodynamics and operation, including burning rate and grain design; steady state operation; transient unsteady regimes; computational description of SRM internal aerodynamics; and obstacles to better prediction of the turbulence generated by combustion, unsteady propellant combustion, and fluid-structure coupling.