Boeing
Scientists have inspired the Starliner’s leio escapes to improve the impulse of rockets or missiles, making them faster and more difficult to detect.
Chinese scientists will have discovered a way to improve the propulsion of rockets injecting helium into solid fuel engines. The origin of this innovation is caricatured, having been inspired by the technical failures of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which suffered a helium escapes that left two astronauts retained at the International Space Station (EEI) since June 2024.
The spacecraft, built by Boeing, depends on helium to pressurize its fuel system. However, Helium’s uncontrolled escapes severely affected their functionality, delaying the return of astronauts to the earth until the beginning of 2025.
According to the one published in Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica, researchers at Harbin University of Engineering saw an opportunity in this fault.
Led by aerospace scientist Yang Zenan, the team explored the way helium injections could improve rocket performance. The findings suggest that helium can significantly increase the impulsewhile reducing exhaust temperatures-key factors for both missile and space exploration invisibility.
The investigators did Computer simulations where they inject helium accurately into the combustion chamber of a rocket in a controlled proportion (approximately 1 part helium to 4 parts of combustion gas).
The simulations indicate that the impulse of the rocket can be increased up to 300% on requestspecific impulse efficiency improved by 5.77% and the exhaust temperature decreased by 1327 ° C, reducing visibility to heat that detect heat, points out.
These improvements can make missiles harder to detect by infrared location systems, such as Spacex Starshield satellites or SM-3 Block Iia interceptor. In addition, the inert nature of helium avoids combustion instability, a common problem with volatile fuels such as hydrogen, ensuring smooth flight performance.
The ability to dynamically adjust the impulse from 100% to 313% can allow missiles to change in unpredictably, making them more difficult to intercep. In addition to military use, the same technology may improve space launch systemsallowing for a faster and more economic satellites.
