 | This article may be confusing or unclear to readers. (July 2021) |
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Designer | Pratt & Whitney |
| Application | Upper stage engine |
| Status | Development halted |
| Liquid-fuel engine | |
| Propellant | LOX / LH2 |
| Mixture ratio | 4.5 to 6.2 |
| Cycle | Expander cycle |
| Performance | |
| Thrust, sea-level | 266.9 kN (60,000 lbf) |
| Thrust-to-weight ratio | 51 |
| Chamber pressure | 83 bar (8.3 MPa; 1,200 psi) |
| Specific impulse, vacuum | 465 seconds (4.56 km/s) |
| Restarts | 45 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 2.23 m (7.3 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.29 m (7.5 ft) |
| Dry mass | 1,100 lb |
| References | |
| References | [1] |
The RL60 was a planned liquid-fuel cryogenic rocket engine designed in the United States by Pratt & Whitney, burning cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants. The engine runs on an expander cycle, running the turbopumps with waste heat absorbed from the main combustion process. This high-efficiency, waste heat based combustion cycle combined with the high-performance liquid hydrogen fuel enables the engine to reach a very high specific impulse of up to 465 seconds in a vacuum. The engine was planned to be a more capable successor to the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10, providing improved performance and efficiency while maintaining the installation envelope of the RL10.[1]
RL60 was planned to include major improvements to the high-thrust RL10B-2, such as up to 45 engine restarts (up from 15 for RL10B-2), 550 seconds longer engine lifetime (+15.7%), and twice the thrust.[1] Like the RL10B-2, RL60 was planned to incorporate a radiatively cooled extendable nozzle.[2] RL60 was designed to meet the evolving needs of expendable launch requirements and human-rated missions of the early 2000's.[3]
- ^ a b c Bullock, J.; Popp, M. (20 July 2003). "RL60 Demonstrator Engine Design, Manufacturing, and Test". AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit. 39. doi:10.2514/6.2003-4489. ISBN 978-1-62410-098-7. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022.
- ^ Bullock, J.R.; Popp, M. (May 2002). "Program Status of the Pratt & Whitney RL60 Engine". AAAF International Symposium for Space Transportation of the XXIst Century. 6. AAAF-2002-S.10.2.
- ^ "Pratt & Whitney's RL60 Moves Closer to Completion" (Press release). Pratt & Whitney. April 22, 2003. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2012.